• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.65-92
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• 2003

This study explored and described the life course of poor female household heads. The data was gathered by in-depth interviews with thirteen poor female heads of households. Most of poor female household heads grew up in poor families. nev could not be educated properly due to their families' poverty and boy preference, and they moved to urban areas to become informal sector laborers. After the marriages, their living conditions became worse, because many of them got married to so lazy men who had alcoholic problems that were not willing to provide their families. The poor female heads of households were under difficulties owing to low income and unstable labor Condition. The economic hardship disturbed the interaction with kins and friends. Although they got in touch with these people, they had uncomfortable feelings because they did not have enough resources which made these relationships reciprocal. Therefore, social welfare policy were essential to support the poor female heads of households.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.223-243
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• 2002

Female-headed household is one of the common family type in the changing Korean society. This study explored and described the coping strategies of poor female household heads who were in struggle with economic, physical, and emotional problems. The data was gathered by in-depth interviews with fifteen poor female heads of households. In the process of qualitative interview and analysis, the coping strategy was emerged as an important theme. The major strategies which the poor female heads had adopted were as follows. First strategy was making up their minds to live as heads of households to keep their children in the fence of family. Second was accepting that any husbands would not be helpful in general. Third was developing independence, which meant providing their families on their own labor without expecting the support from social network or welfare system. Forth strategy was giving the present situation a positive definition: it gave them the emotional comfort.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.103-115
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• 2003

This study develops and evaluates a mother-child relationship improvement program for poor female-headed families. The program consists of seven sessions including various physical and educational activities. The goals of this program are (1) enhancing emotional support, health, and physical intimacy among the female heads of households and their children, (2) understanding each other's wants and personalities, and (3) facilitating the communication skills and increasing knowledge on adolescent sexual development. Four mothers of poor female-headed families and four adolescent children of them were participated in the program. The result of the program evaluation shows that this program had positive effects on improving mother-child relationship and their Interaction.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.183-206
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• 2013

Using Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (wave 1~11) database, this study analyzed the poverty duration of the poor as a whole and by households' characteristics. For this purpose, I first estimated poverty exit rates and reentry rates applying discrete-time hazard model to the sample, and then calculated poverty duration combining these two probability rates. The results show that about a half of poor households are transitory (short-term) poor with 1~2 years of poverty duration. A quarter is chronic (long-term) poor lasting for 5 or more years of poverty duration. The remained quarter can be categorized as the recurrent or mid-term poor. The socioeconomic characteristics of households greatly affect poverty duration. Long-term poverty is prevalent among female-head households, elderly households, single households, or households headed by a person with a lower level of education. If households' heads do not work, or work as temporary or daily-employed workers, the poverty duration tends to be longer. The findings suggest that the poor consist of various social classes with different characteristics. Efficient anti-poverty policy should be based on thoroughly identifying the specific characteristics and needs of each class.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.107-126
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• 1991

The purpose of the study was to assess the morbidity pattern and the medical care utilization behavior of the urban residents in the poor area. The study population included 2,591 family members of 677 households in the poor area of Daemyong 8 Dong, Nam-Gu, Taegu and 2,686 family members of 688 households, near the poor area in the same Dong, were interviewed as a control group. On this study the household interview method was applied. Well-trained interviewers visited every household in the designated area and individually interviewed heads of households or housewives for general information, morbidity condition, and medical care utilization with a structured questionnaire. Individuals were interviewed from 1 to 30 December 1988. The major results were summarized as follows : The proportion of the people below 5 years of age was 4.2% of the total study population and 5.5% were above 65 years of age in the poor area. This was slightly higher than in the control area. The average monthly income of a household in the poor area was 403,000 won versus 529,000 won in the control area. Fifty-eight percent of the residents in the poor area and sixty-one percent in the control area were medical security beneficiaries, but the proportion of medical aid beneficiaries was 7.8% in the poor area and 4.6% in the control area. The 15-day period morbidity rate of acute illnesses was 57.1 per 1,000 in the poor area and 24.2 per 1,000 in the control area. Respiratory disease is the most common acute illness in both areas. The most frequently utilized medical facility was the pharmacy among the patients with acute illnesses in the poor area. Among them 58.1% visited pharmacy initially while 38.4% of the patients in the control area visited a clinic. Among persons with illnesses during the 15 days 8.8% in the poor area and 4.6% in the control area did not seek any medical facility. Mean duration of utilization of medical facilities was 3.5 days in the poor area and 3.3 days in the control area. Initially of the medical facilities in Daemyong 8 Dong, The pharmacy in the poor area and the clinic in the control area were most commonly utilized. The most common reason for visiting the hospital was 'regular customers' in the poor area and 'geographical accessibility' in the control area. The one year period morbidity rate of chronic illness in the poor area was 83.0 per 1,000 population and 28.0 per 1,000 in the control area. Disease of nervous system was the most common chronic illness in the poor area while cardiovascular disease in male and gastrointestinal disease in female were most prevalent in the control area. The most frequently utilized medical facility was the pharmacy among the patients with chronic illnesses in the poor area. Among them 24.2% visited the pharmacy initially while 34.7% of the patients in the control area visited the out-patient department of the hospital within a 15-day period. Among the patients with chronic illnesses 34.9% in the poor area and 16.0% in the control area did not seek any medical facility. Mean duration of utilization of medical facilities was 9.2 days in the poor area and 9.9 days in the control area within a 15-day period. Initially of the medical facilities in Daemyong 8 Dong, the pharmacy in the poor area and the hospital in the control area were most commonly utilized. The most common reason for visiting the hospital, clinic, health center or pharmacy in the poor area was 'geographical accessibility' while the reason for visiting herb clinic was 'good result' and 'reputation' in both areas.