• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.222-245
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• 2020

In the pandemic crisis, many governments implemented harsh interventions that might contradict democratic values and civil liberties. In Taiwan, the debate over whether or not to reveal personal information of infected persons to limit the coronavirus's spread poses the democratic dilemma between public health and civil liberties. This study examines whether and explains how Taiwan's people respond to the choice between individual privacy and collective security. We used survey data gathered in May 2020 to show that, first, the democratic values did not deter the pursuit of collective safety at the cost of civil liberty; rather, people with higher social trust were more likely to give up their civil liberties in exchange for public safety. Second, people who support democratic values and pursue collective security tend to avoid violating privacy by opposing the release of personal information. This study proves that democratic values do not necessarily threaten collective safety and that the pursuit of common good can co-exist with personal privacy.

• 국제학술발표논문집
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• The 4th International Conference on Construction Engineering and Project Management Organized by the University of New South Wales
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• pp.124-131
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• 2011

Public infrastructure is crucial to promote and sustain a sustainable economic growth and a health community. A large amount of capital investment is generally required in infrastructure projects that motivate the involvement of the private sector in the delivery process. Various relationship-based procurement methods have been attempted to maximize value-for-money. In this paper, the problems and challenges that relationship-based procurement methods have been facing are explored. A particular focus is placed on the challenges for the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Possible strategies for adapting the PPP models in the post-Global Financial Crisis era are proposed and discussed. In addition, the challenges facing alliancing, which is one of the other important relationship-based procurement methods, are also examined. Views on infrastructure procurement in the future were sought from industry professionals via interviews and are reported in this paper as well.

• 산경연구논집
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• 제12권7호
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• pp.27-39
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• 2021

Purpose: The researchers reviewed the previous studies on the psychological anxiety and economic damage during the recent COVID-19 pandemic to understand the satisfaction, awareness and attitude of the residents in Jeju, Korea. Research design, data and methodology: 215 samples based on self-reported survey were collected for path analysis focused on controlling variables in demographic characteristics in PLS-SEM using Smart PLS 3.0. Results: The researchers found the Satisfaction with COVID-19 Prevention Measures and the Awareness of Tourism Crisis affect Attitude toward Tourism of the residents with the explanatory power (R² = 0.209). Age was found to be the only significant controlling variable in this model for the Awareness of Tourism Crisis to Attitude toward Tourism. Conclusions: The attitude toward tourism is influenced by the level of satisfaction of the prevention service for COVID-19 as well as the awareness of the crisis. Residents have different level of the tourism crisis awareness by the status of their economic activities while there is no differences in all age groups for satisfaction in the quarantine service. The study suggests that the importance of the public health service should be preferentially concerned for residents to have stable economic activities where the tourism is the major industry.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제44권1호
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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.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.123-129
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• 2009

Objectives : This study aimed to examine the association between public social expenditure(PSE) and suicides in the 27 countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD) from 1980 to 2003. Methods : The age-standardized suicide rates and their annual change(%) were obtained from the OECD Health Data 2007. As a measure of social protection, the PSE(% GDP) was used. The covariates included the annual divorce rate(/100,000 population), fertility rate(number of children/woman aged 15 to 49 years), GDP per capita(US$ PPP), male unemployment rate(%), life expectancy(years) and alcohol consumption(liter/capita) for each country, which were all obtained from the OECD Health Data 2007 and the OECD Social Indicators 2006. Using hierarchical linear models that included these covariates, the effects of PSE on suicides(Model 1) and the annual percent change (Model 2) were examined(Model 3). Also, sub-sample analyses were done for six countries that experienced political/economic transition. Results : We could not find significant effects of PSE on suicides(Model 1), but we observed significantly negative effects on the annual percent change for men and women(Model 2). Such findings were replicated in the sub-sample analysis, and moreover, the effect size was much larger(Model 3). Conclusions : Our finding suggests that social welfare protection can be a pivotal factor for suicide epidemiology, and especially in countries experiencing a social crisis or transition.

• 농촌의학ㆍ지역보건
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.63-73
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• 2018

본 연구는 우리나라 보건소의 재난대응 관련사업의 실태와 향후 방향에 대한 의견을 파악하고자 전국의 5개 보건소를 대상으로 개방형 설문지를 활용하여 연구자가 직접 2017년 9월 1개월 동안 방문하여 심층 면담을 통한 조사결과 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 조사대상 보건소는 재난대비 대응에 있어서 시 군 구의 협조기관으로 생각하는 경향이 있었고, 구급지원, 감염병 위기관리 및 방역실시, 을지훈련참여, 재난훈련 및 연수 등이 활동의 전부로 수동적인 활동이었으며, 보건소 자체 프로그램은 필요하다고 생각하고 있었다. 보건소가 시 군 구의 협력기관으로 활동하는 것도 중요하지만, 재난발생 시 보건활동의 중심적인 역할을 위해서는 보건기관 자체의 총괄보건 활동체계가 구축되어야 할 것이다. 재난은 언제 닥칠지 모르는 것이므로, 이를 위해 필요한 매뉴얼의 개발이 시급한 것으로 보인다. 총괄보건활동체계를 구축하기 위해서는 먼저 보건소를 시 군 구의 협력기관으로만 생각하는 시각을 변화시킬 필요가 있다. 시각의 변화가 쉽지는 않겠지만 관 학 협력으로 일부 가능할 것으로 생각한다. 재난 시에 지역주민에게 필요한 것은 의료지원이나 감염병위기 관리에 국한되지 않는다. 주민의 생활지원은 물론 건강관리 및 영양지원, 정신보건의료, 대피소 환경관리 및 봉사자 관리 등 보건의료 전반에 대한 지원이 필요하다. 보건소의 인력별 역할 및 기능에 따라 운영될 수 있는 시스템이 준비되어야 할 것이다.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.26-32
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• 2020

Background: Hong Kong's construction industry currently faces a manpower crisis. Blue-collar workers are a disadvantaged group and suffer higher levels of chronic diseases, for example, cancer, than the wider population. Cancer risk factors are likely to cluster together. We documented prevalence of cancer-associated lifestyle risk behaviors and their correlates among Hong Kong construction workers. Methods: Data were collected from workers at 37 railway-related construction worksites throughout Hong Kong during May 2014. Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unbalanced nutrition intake, and physical inactivity were included in the analysis. Latent class analysis and multivariable logistic regression were performed to identify the patterns of risk behaviors related to cancer, as well as their impact factors among construction workers in Hong Kong. Results: Overall, 1,443 workers participated. Latent class analysis identified four different behavioral classes in the sample. Fully adjusted multiple logistic regression identified age, gender, years of Hong Kong residency, ethnicity, educational level, and living status differentiated behavioral classes. Conclusion: High levels of lifestyle-related cancer-risk behaviors were found in most of the Hong Kong construction workers studied. The present study contributes to understanding how cancer-related lifestyle risk behaviors cluster among construction workers and relative impact factors of risk behaviors. It is essential to tailor health behavior interventions focused on multiple risk behaviors among different groups for further enlarging the effects on cancer prevention.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.359-365
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• 2005

Objectives : An abrupt economic decline may widen the socioeconomic differences in health between the advantaged and disadvantaged in a society. The aim of this study was to examine whether the South Korean economic crisis of 1997-98 affected the socioeconomic inequality from all-causes and from cause-specific mortality between 1995 and 2001. Methods : Population denominators were obtained from the registration population data, with the number of death (numerators) calculated from raw death certificate data. The indicator used to assess the geographic socioeconomic position was the per capita regional tax revenue. Administrative districts (Si-Gun-Gu) were ranked according to this socioeconomic measure, and divided into equal population size quintiles on the basis of this ranking. The sex- and 5-year age-specific numbers of the population and deaths were used to compute the sex- and age-adjusted mortality rates (via direct standardization method), standardized mortality ratios (via indirect standardization methods) and relative indices of inequality (RII) (via Poisson regression). Results : Geographic inequalities from all-causes of mortality, as measured by RII, did not increase as a result of the economic crisis (from 1998-2001). This was true for both sexes and all age groups. However, the cause-specific analyses showed that socioeconomic inequalities in mortalities from external causes were affected by South Korean economic crisis. For males, the RIIs for mortalities from transport accidents and intentional self-harm increased between 1995 and 2001. For females, the RII for mortality from intentional self-harm increased during the same period. Conclusions : The South Korean economic crisis widened the geographic inequality in mortalities from major external causes. This increased inequality requires social discourse and counter policies with respect to the rising health inequalities in the South Korean society.

• 한국병원경영학회지
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.38-52
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to suggest the main functions and implications of public hospitals to effectively respond to the future epidemic crisis based on analyzing the accessibility to designated Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) medical institutions of Seoul and examining the main features of the quarantine of Seoul municipal hospitals. Method: To analyze the response and function of Seoul municipal hospitals, we reviewed the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention ACT, 258 articles of Seoul Metropolitan Government press releases from January to the end of April, 48 articles of Seoul Metropolitan Government's daily newsletters, 2019 Health Bureau Budget report. We also referred to internal data of Seoul Children's Hospital, Seoul Seobuk Hospital, and Seoul Eunpyeong Hospital during the same period. Besides, the accessibility to medical institutions was analyzed by using the COVID-19 data which was announced daily basis. Results: The accessibility of COVID-19 patients living in the Southeastern part of Seoul to a medical institutions was 16.2km on a distance basis, and it was the lowest accessibility among four regions of Seoul since it took about 40 minutes by car. On the other hand, patients living in the Northeast part had the highest accessibility, as the access to medical institutions was 10.7km and 27 minutes by car. Also, the main functions of the municipal hospital of Seoul against COVID-19 were to shift the public hospital function to COVID-19 patients only hospitals, to perform the epidemiological investigation by medical doctors, and to support the operation of self-isolation facilities, community treatment centers and triage rooms of community health centers. Conclusion: Through the experience of COVID-19, we suggested that the functions of public hospitals will be reorganized as the reinforcement of infectious disease treatment and mental health for quarantined patients, cooperation with private hospitals, supporting for strengthening community health capacity and preparation for another epidemic.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.289-292
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• 2020

Yemen has been faced with the worst cholera epidemic of modern times, with more than 1 million suspected cases and 3000 deaths at the time of writing. This problem is largely due to the longstanding civil war between pro-government forces and the Houthi armed movement, which has severely damaged already vulnerable sanitation and healthcare facilities and systems in the country. It is further compounded by a dire lack of basic amenities, chronic malnutrition, and unfavourable weather conditions. Another contributory component may be aerial transfer by cholera-infected chironomid insects. To contain the spread of cholera in Yemen, a nation-wide armistice should be negotiated, and national and local committees must be convened to coordinate efforts on the ground. Community isolation facilities with proper sanitation, reliable disposal systems, and a clean water supply should be set up to isolate and treat sick patients. The continuity of vaccination programmes should be ensured. Public health campaigns to educate local communities about good hygiene practices and nutrition are also necessary. The One Health paradigm emphasizes a multi-sectoral and transdisciplinary understanding and approach to prevent and mitigate the threat of communicable diseases. This paradigm is highly applicable to the ongoing cholera crisis in Yemen, as it demands a holistic and whole-of-society approach at the local, regional, and national levels. The key stakeholders and warring parties in Yemen must work towards a lasting ceasefire during these trying times, especially given the extra burden from the mounting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak worldwide.