• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.91-101
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• 2012

Objectives: This study examined the extent to which attitudes about smoke-free air policies (SFAPs) in bars/restaurants, workplaces, all public places, and motor vehicles when minors are present can be explained by individuals' sociodemographic characteristics, smoking status, and beliefs about the health of others. Methods: Data were gathered from 359 individuals age 18 or older who attended the Lawrence County Fair in Indiana, United States, in July, 2009, an area where there were no SFAPs in place at the time of survey administration. Results: Multinomial logistic regression analyses indicated that perceived severity of secondhand smoke (SHS) on others, perceived responsibility of smokers for the harm their SHS causes to others, and perceived susceptibility of others to SHS exposure, along with education level and smoking status, significantly predict opposition to SFAPs in this population. Conclusions: The results of this exploratory study suggest the need for additional research related to attitudes about health policies as well as to the practical applications of these findings for smoke-free air advocacy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.151-159
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was to determine how the perception and the satisfaction of outpatients who utilized clinics and hospitals are structurally related with their willingness to utilize the same institution in the future. Methods : Three hundred and ten responses (via convenient sampling) were collected from 5 hospitals and 20 clinics located in Seoul listed in the "Korea National Hospital Directory 2005". Service quality was utilized as the satisfaction measurement tool. For analysis, we used a structural equation modeling method. Results : The determining factors for general satisfaction with medical services are as follows: medical staff, reasonability of payment, comfort and accessibility. Such results may involve increased competition in the medical market and increased demands for quality medical services, which drive the patients to visit hospitals on their own on the basis of changed determining factors for satisfaction. Conclusions : The structural equation model showed that the satisfaction of outpatients with the quality of medical services is influenced by a few sub-dimensional satisfaction factors. Among these sub-dimensional satisfaction factors, the satisfaction with medical staff and payment were determined to exert a significant effect on overall satisfaction with the quality of medical services. The structural relationship in which overall satisfaction perceived by patients significantly influences their willingness to use the same institution in the future was also verified.

• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.25-45
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to estimate the effects of healthy city policies on residents' walking. In order to estimate promotion of walking rates by healthy cities policies, it developed System dynamics(SD)-based model which showed causal relationships among urban design, public health policies, and walking levels. SD technique is useful for future forecast and policy impact assessment. The spatial units of the SD-based system for policy impact assessment included 66 cities, counties, and communities in Seoul Metropolitan Area. The system simulation was planned to be run for 21 years from 2009 to 2030. For this study, 3 alternatives were proposed with combinations of length of bike lanes, number of bus routes, crime rates, self-reported good health status rates, and obesity rates. As a result of simulations, residents' participation rates for walking were increased from 1.00% to 9.98%. This study contributes to better understanding the benefits of healthy cities that are associated with individual walking. It further provided useful insights into planners' role in promoting health. The paper concluded with a discussion on future research opportunities and implications for public policies in urban and transportation and public health.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.61-72
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• 2011

Purpose: To investigate the behavioural factors of the health promotion for caregivers based on a socio-ecological model. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study using a self administered questionnaire. The survey was conducted in 219 people chosen through convenient sampling between September and December 2008. The collected information included general characteristics, individual, interpersonal, community, policy level. Results: For the statistical analysis, the t-test was used for the health promotion according to the general characteristics and to each level of the socio-ecological model, by assessing the high and low values and dividing them into mean points. The influence elicited by different health promotion factors was determined using the hierarchical multiple regression. At the individual level, the factors influencing health promotion in caregivers included perceived seriousness, perceived benefits, and self efficacy. Social support was important at interpersonal level, and the use of community resource was relevant for the community level. We found no statistically significant factors relating to the policy level. Conclusions: In conclusion, the socio-ecological models seems appropriate for explaining health promotion and its associated factors in caregivers. We suggest that, for caregivers, strategies should be developed for their social support and to offer information about how to use community resources in relation with factors relating to the individual level.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.177-188
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• 2010

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine factors related to smoking behavior, and to develop multilevel communication strategies for smoking cessation. Methods: This paper reviewed theories and empirical findings with currents ecological models to develop communication strategies. Theory comparison was also performed to identify important mediators in the process of smoking cessation. Results: Factors that have been identified to influence smoking behavior ranges from individual perception, attitudes and self efficacy toward smoking to organizational norms, regulations, community capacity, media advocacy and public smoking regulation policy. In order to address these multi-level determinants of smoking behavior, objectives and strategies for smoking cessation intervention were developed utilizing ecological perspectives to cover intrapersonal, interpersonal(mainly family member and peers), organizational and community/public policy level factors. Conclusion: Multilevel approaches have advanced the existing knowledge on determinants of health behaviors. New direction of research focusing on testing multilevel intervention approaches should be expanded to inform the efficacy of applying social ecological models to health behavior change process.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.82-85
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• 2019

Unmet healthcare needs are being used as an important indicator of the accessibility of healthcare services worldwide. To examine current status and trends of unmet needs in Korea, we used data from four sources: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2007-2017); the Community Health Survey (CHS 2008-2017); the Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP 2011-2015); and the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS 2006-2017). The proportion of individual reporting unmet healthcare needs as of 2017 was 8.8% (KNHANES), 10.6% (CHS), and 12.4% (KHP as of 2015). The proportion of households reporting unmet healthcare needs due to cost was 0.5% (KOWEPS). Annual percentage change was -19.2%, -13.3%, -5.8%, and -13.3% respectively. Low income populations had more unmet healthcare needs than high income populations. However, unlike the last two studies, the main reason for unmet medical reasons was that there was no time regardless of income level.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.420-427
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• 2019

Introduction: To prevent and manage the societal and economic burden of occupational diseases (ODs), countries should develop strong prevention policies, health surveillance and registry systems. This study aims to contribute to the improvement of OD surveillance at national level as well as to identify priority actions in Turkey. Methods: The history and current status of occupational health studies were considered from the perspective of OD surveillance. Interpretative research was done through literature review on occupational health at national, regional and international level. Analyses were focused on countries' experiences in policy development and practice, roles and responsibilities of institutions, multidisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration. OD surveillance models of Turkey, Belgium and the Netherlands were examined through exchange visits. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to explore the peculiarities of legislative and institutional structures, the best and worst practices, and approach principles. Results: Some countries are more focused on exploring OD trends through effective and cost-efficient researches, with particular attention to new and emerging ODs. Other countries try to reach every single case of OD for compensation and rehabilitation. Each practice has advantages and shortcomings, but they are not mutually exclusive, and thus an effective combination is possible. Conclusion: Effective surveillance and registry approaches play a key role in the prevention of ODs. A well-designed system enables monitoring and assessment of OD prevalence and trends, and adoption of preventive measures while improving the effectiveness of redressing and compensation. A robust surveillance does not only provide protection of workers' health but also advances prevention of economic losses.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.275-296
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• 2012

Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University The national health insurance system in Korea is characterized as relatively high out-of-pocket payments, which are the principal source of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). The objectives of this study are to estimate the incidence of household CHE and to clarify the characteristics that affect the occurrence and recurrence of household CHE using the Seoul Welfare Panel Survey database for 2008 and 2010. Thresholds to estimate CHE were 10% and 20% of the total household income (T/X), and 25% and 40% of the income excluding food share (T/Y). Determinants of the occurrence and recurrence of CHE at the threshold of T/X=10% were analysed using multiple logistic regression models. Out of the 3,665 households that responded in 2008 survey, households with CHE were 12.07% (T/X${\geq}$10%), 5.34% (T/X${\geq}$20%), 6.84% (T/Y${\geq}$25%), and 4.44% (T/Y${\geq}$40%). Risk factors associated with household CHE included living with a spouse, non-Medicaid beneficiary, householder unemployment, low household income, the number of disabled members, poor subjective health, and the number of chronic diseases. A total of 41.78% of households with CHE in 2008 repeatedly experienced CHE in 2010. Risk factors of CHE recurrence included decreased household income and an increase in chronic diseases over the two time periods, the number of members with disability or chronic diseases, and the presence of cancer patients in 2008. Households with lower socioeconomic and health status had a higher financial burden on health care than do their counterpart households. There is a need to enhance society-wide financial protection from health spending among vulnerable citizens in Seoul, particularly, households with low income, disabled members or cancer patients.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.293-300
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• 2021

The study aims to examine the current status and differences in the burden of disease in Korea during 2008-2018. We calculated the burden of disease for Koreans from 2008 to 2018 using an incidence-based approach. Disability adjusted life years (DALYs) were expressed in units per 100 000 population by adding years of life lost (YLLs) and years lived with disability (YLDs). DALY calculation results were presented by gender, age group, disease, region, and income level. To explore differences in DALYs by region and income level, we used administrative district and insurance premium information from the National Health Insurance Service claims data. The burden of disease among Koreans showed an increasing trend from 2008 to 2018. By 2017, the burden of disease among men was higher than that among women. Diabetes mellitus, low back pain, and chronic lower respiratory disease were ranked high in the burden of disease; the sum of DALY rates for these diseases accounted for 18.4% of the total burden of disease among Koreans in 2018. The top leading causes associated with a high burden of disease differed slightly according to gender, age group, and income level. In this study, we measured the health status of Koreans and differences in the population health level according to gender, age group, region, and income level. This data can be used as an indicator of health equity, and the results derived from this study can be used to guide community-centered (or customized) health promotion policies and projects, and for setting national health policy goals.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2014

Objective : The aim of this study is to analyze the recent research of Korean Medicine(KM) public health promotion programs in Korea. Method : We searched the study using Korean Medicine Information System, Research Information Service System and Korean Studies Information Service. We analyzed studies by research content, publication year and type of journal. Results : Analysis by research contents, it was divided into survey research, policy research, development research and evaluation research. Analysis by publication year, little research had been conducted from 1990 until 2000 and most of the research was done since 2000. Analysis by type of journal, 53% of studies published by journals related with KM. Conclusion : Development and evaluation research of KM public health promotion programs should be actively conducted. It is also need to establish the foundation in which KM public health promotion programs would be expanded not only KM field but also in other fields.