• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.317-324
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• 1999

Objectives: Since 1991, nationwide massive neonatal screening program for phenylketonuria (PKU) and congenital hypothyroidism have been performed in Korea. As in many other countries, efficiency of this program has not been definitely concluded. For the purpose of evaluation of this program, from the perspective of efficiency, a cost-benefit analysis was carried out. Methods: Costs of the detection and the treatment program were compared with the projected benefit(avoided costs) that results from the prevention of the mental retardation associated with the disorders due to PKU and hypothyroidism. Costs and benefits were discounted at an annual rate of 5%, and duration of life-long labor was assumed to be 30 years. Cost and benefit were estimated based on the detection rates of one case of PKU per 5,572 and one case of congenital hypothyroidism per 32,554 babies screened during 1991-1997. Results: The benefit-cost ratio was 0.418. The sensitivity analysis for the discount rates and labor durations showed that most cost-benefit ratios were lower than one(1.0) except when discount rate was changed to 3% and detection rate to two- or threefold and/or labor duration to 40 years. Conclusion: The result of this study suggested that present program of mass screening for PKU and congenital hypothyroidism could not be justified in terms of efficiency. It doesn't coincide with the results of previous studies in major developed countries, presumably because of difference in detection rates and welfare cost for the disabled.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.269-274
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• 2016

The tendency of students to become adults in the future to improve the country's public health policy and to determine the socio-economic development of the research is very important. The objectives of this study were to examine the changes in body weight, body mass index (BMI), body composition, and complete blood cell count in a group of male and female university students. Among the body compositions, height, weight, BMI, muscle volume, basal metabolic rate, red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit showed a correlation between the amount shown both had statistical significance (p<0.01). In particular, platelets showed a rather different result from fat and body fat percentage, and were positively correlated with waist-hip ratio points (p<0.01). This study may be useful as it provides the basic data necessary for students of healthcare. Therefore, developing a sustainable management system of healthcare on a national level for university students is very important.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.141-150
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• 2010

Objectives: The study evaluated efficacy of the Gigong program in health promotion service programs using oriental medicine. Methods: The data were collected from 31 female participants who completed the Gigongprogram from February to May of 2009 in Eumsung-Gun. The questionnaires to measure efficacy of the Gigong program were composed of demographic items, past history, family history, why they joined the program, satisfaction with the Gigong program, lipid profile, etc. The lipid profiles were collected before and after the Gigong program. Results: Satisfaction with the Gigong lectures and program was 88.4%. Improvement of daily life after the Gigong program was 92.2%. Mood and exercise habits of daily life significantly improved. Conclusions: From these results, the Gigong program is worthwhile for promoting health, so further study is needed to determine its efficacy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2003

Objectives : To investigate the availability and demand for overall cancer-related information, and to establish a basic plan for the construction of a cancer database and information system based on the research results from Korea. Methods : Postal and telephone surveys were carried out, between August 2001 and November 2001, of 323 affiliated faculty professors from medical universities and colleges in Korea. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistical methods, with regard to the present status and demand for health and cancer-related information. Results : Most (over 80%) subjects studied utilized the health-related information provided on Internet website from foreign countries, such as Medline, but similar comprehensive information system lacked in Korea. The construction of a cancer-related database of domestic research results was revealed to be in a great demand. Information on registration and statistics (52.8%), study results (48.5%) and study resources (37.4%) were the major ingredients required in the database. In constructing a database of the cancer-related research results, a full-text service, continuous updating of data, and the development of standardized user-friendly searching tool were regarded as the necessary components. The formulation of an information sharing system, regarding cancer-related clinical trials, was investigated as being quite feasible. Conclusion : This study demonstrated the great importance of cancer information systems, and much demand for an available cancer-related database based on Korean research results.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.28
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• pp.8.1-8.5
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• 2013

Cancer has been the leading cause of death in Korea for the last 30 years. Cancer patients' 5-year survival rate between 2005 and 2009 was 62.0%, representing a highly advanced standard of care, as much as developed countries in the EU and the US. The Korean government formulated its first 10-year plan for cancer control in 1996 and has been carrying out a second 10-year plan for cancer control since 2006. But despite the Korean government's efforts, the cancer burden in Korea continues to increase. Many separate laws have gone into effect concerning the management of carcinogen exposure. However, there are no integrated regulatory laws or management systems against carcinogen exposure in Korea. Dead zones remain where carcinogen exposure cannot be controlled properly in Korea. In this paper, we suggest the need to establish a national carcinogen list based on international harmonization as a prerequisite for a paradigm shift in cancer control policy from treatment to primary prevention.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.144-153
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• 2003

1) Background: The hospitals of modem society, like any other business entities, have to constantly strive to secure their survival from aggressive changes and competition outside. In this unstable environment, effective leadership is one of the most effective strategies for securing organization's growth as well as stability. This study investigated types of leadership (transformational or transactional) that is dominant in medical record departments and compared it's effects on organizational commitment and job satisfaction of their organizational members by types. 2) Method: A questionnaire was developed and mailed to all medical record administrators working at general hospitals throughout the country except department directors (N=450). Of these, 150 useable questionnaires were returned and analyzed by t-test, multiple regression analysis using SPSS. 3) Results: The organizational commitment and job satisfaction were a little bit higher than moderate level, and that of leadership perceived by medical record administrators was also in moderate level throughout types. Significant characteristics (positively) related to organizational commitment and job satisfaction by univariate analysis were marital status (married), position (middle management) and both type of leadership. However transformational leadership was the only significant factor in leadership styles after considering all the factors related to organizational commitment and job satisfaction together by multivariate analysis. 4) Conclusion: The average organizational commitment and job satisfaction of medical record administrators was just in moderate level. Efforts should be made to increase them by improving leadership capacity of medical record directors, primarily by using transformational leadership approach.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2020

In South Korea, female individuals in their forties show a high rate of incidence, with approximately 13% of the patients being <40 years. This statistic is more than twice as high as that in Western countries. It is therefore necessary to identify the risk factors for breast cancer incidence by age and economic activity participation status. Women aged 30 to 59-whether breast cancer patients or those in the control group and having no breast cancer-were appraised from the sample cohort database. The data were analyzed using the statistical software R36.2. To identify the factors affecting breast cancer incidence, the degree of association was determined with HR and 95% CI by means of cox regression analysis. As for the socio-demographic variables, the older the individual, the higher the risk of breast cancer incidence becomes. As for the economic activity variables, those who were dependents (unemployed) and who had higher income (medium and high) were at higher risk of breast cancer incidence, which was statistically significant. The income-adjusted HR (model 1) for breast cancer development associated with the economic activity was 1.452 (95% CI, 1.19-1.77). The body mass index and alcohol intake-adjusted HR (model 2) was 1.431 (95% CI, 1.18-1.74). One needs to pay attention to policy plans regarding women's quality of life, as well as to the risk of breast cancer incidence by their economic activity. In other words, policies need to give post care, instead of focus on early detection and cancer treatment.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 2008

Objectives : We examined the effect of sociodemographic factors, cancer, and psychiatric disorders on suicide by gender and age-specific patterns in South Korea. Methods : The study is a case-control study. Claim data was obtained from the national health insurance database and national death registration database. The number of people who committed suicide was 11,523, which was matched with a control group consisting of ten times as many people at 115,230 selected from the national health insurance and medical aids beneficiaries. The medical utilization of the case group was one year before death and that of the control group was from July 1,2003 to June 30, 2004. Four variables-address, economic status, presence of a psychiatric disease, and cancer-were used in multiple logistic regression analyses. Results : Living in cities or in rural areas showed a greater risk for suicide than living in a metropolitan city. Low economic status, the presence of a psychiatric disorder, and cancer were also statistically meaningful risk factors for suicide. The three major psychiatric diseases, schizophrenia, alcohol abuse, and bipolar disorder, were meaningful in all age groups, but the scale of the odds ratio differed by the age group. Only the psychiatric disorder variable was meaningful in the adolescent group, whereas a psychiatric disorder and economic status were meaningful for the young adult group, and all variables were meaningful for the middle-aged group. A psychiatric disorder and cancer were meaningful in the elderly group, economic status was meaningful for male subjects, and address was meaningful for female subjects. Conclusions : Factors such as living in city or rural areas, low economic status, the presence of a psychiatric disorder, and cancer were statistically meaningful risk factors in suicide. These factors also differed by age group. Therefore, policymakers should establish policies for suicide prevention that are relevant for each age group.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.80-95
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• 2015

Objectives : A safety culture is the bedrock for all patient safety improvement initiatives; thus, many resources have been invested in measuring hospital culture. However, many of these endeavors have failed to yield meaningful results. This article proposes a practical checklist to ensure successful administration of a safety culture survey and describes current methodologies for analyzing survey results to develop safety improvement programs. Methods : We reviewed currently used safety culture surveys and summarized their strengths and weaknesses. We also reviewed studies using safety culture surveys and found several pitfalls leading to failure in survey administration. With this information, we developed a checklist that covers critical items in the survey process. We also reviewed newly developed methodologies for survey results analysis and application and described them using the Korean version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire as an example. Results : The checklist consists of three steps: survey preparation, administration, and analysis and application. Each step contains clear action items. The content even describes how to get buy-in from hospital executives and manage communication channels with them. Also, common misunderstandings regarding survey scores are described and possible solutions are suggested. In the analysis section, we demonstrate new methods for obtaining more accurate survey results and how to utilize these methods to develop and implement hospital-wide safety improvement programs. Conclusion : A successful safety culture survey is the foundation of all future safety improvement projects. This review is intended to guide hospitals in enhancing safety.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.231-237
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• 2016

The private health insurance covers areas that are not covered by the national health insurance to reinforce insurance guarantee. Realistically, however, many people renunciate small sum insurance claims because the inconvenient claim procedures require a certificate from the hospital for resubmission to the insurance company, which is very time consuming. Therefore, One-stop insurance payout claiming system that is capable of one stop processing of the issuance of e-page safer technology-based certification to claiming of insurance payout by utilizing authorized electronic address (#-mail) through the utilization of private information concealment technology and identification certification technology for the convenience of the subscribers and the simplification of operation was developed.