• The Korean Nurse
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.76-87
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• 1992

The purposes of study was: 1. To identify the direction and scope of research activities in Korean Nursing. 2. To discuss the unique problems present in Korea that warrant nursing research. 3. To delineate the factors that facilitate and/or hinder nursing research in Korea. This study was conducted at six colleges of nursing in Korea. The schools which were selected had doctoral programs at the time, the data were collected in 1990. Four of the schools were located in the metropolitan area of the capital city, Seoul, and two were in two other cities similar in size. The total population of the study was 283 nurses. The instrument for the research was the English version of Research Profile Questionnaire which was translated into Korean by the researchers and was validated in its translation by two professors. A pretest procedure was done before the data collection process. Of the population of 283, 210 subjects received the questionnaire and 150 subjects responded(71.4%). Excluding incomplete questionnaires, 141 questionnaires were utilized for data analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Responses to open-ended questions were content analyzed for themes and categories. Results of the study were as follows : Respondents currently , involved in nursing research numbered 108(76.6%), but 33(23.4%) did not have any research experience. The inexperienced respondenLs tended to be younger than the experienced subjects and most( 60.6%) were employed in hospitals, while 82.4 percent of the experienced nurses were employed in nursing schools. Among the respondents with research experience, 68.5 percent were involved in one to three projects and 31.5 percent were engaged in four or more projects. The experienced nurses indicated that nursing research in Korea is active. On the other hand, the responses of the inexperienced were that nursing research is not active. The most frequently selected research subjects were patients(76.9%, 83 respondents) followed by nurses, healthy persons and nursing students. The relatively high percentage of healthy persons as study subjects, could be explained as a concern of nurses for healthy persons as well as for ill patients. The aforememioned literature review showed a dramatic change in the kinds of study subjects; approximately 33 percent were patients but 25 percent were healthy subjects of various ages. The hospital was the prevailing research setting(67.6%) but at the same time various community settings were used. This is a changing phenomena in nursing research of Korea. Current research designed to build on previous studies amounted to 75 percent; about 39.8 percem were theory and hypothesis generated. Over 65 recommended additional research focusing on hypothesis-testing 0:' theory building. The previously quoted literature review found that only 4.0 percent of the study quescions were developed from a theoretical framework. The most frequently listed current major focus of nursmg research was stress and adaptation. Patients with cancer, pain, social support and care of the elderly were the next most frequently reported. These concerns may reflect problems associated with a technological and industrializing societyl. The most frequently identified problem was lack of clinical research. The need for replication research and research that contributes to the accumulation of nursing knowledge were found to be rare in Korean research. A need for theory testing and theory construction research was also identified. Although advanced statistical methods were often utilized in nursing research, the results were frequently considered by the interviewers not to be applicable in practice, and readers had difficulty in comprehending the findings. Even though the number of clinical nurses involved in research is increasing, it is still considered inadequate. Among 108 respondents, 83(76.9%) gave lack of time as a barrier to conducting nursing research. Over fifty percent of the respondents reported lack of funding or, personally, low confidence in research skills as barriers. The respondents offered 183 suggestions for future emphasis in nursing research. Among the 51 areas of emphasis, clinical research received the highest number and nursing intervention was next. The findings suggested that nursing research should be based on theory, be related to practice and relevant to the situation of a unique Korean culture.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.67
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• pp.11-44
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• 2021

In the early 21st century, the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has arisen during the development of the technological science of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, has been a great challenge in all fields including politics, economy, industry, education and religion in Korean society. To prevent the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Korean government announced 'social distancing guidelines,' focused on the 'prohibition of three conditions'(crowd, closeness, airtight) for safety reasons. These quarantine guidelines made it more difficult for Korean churches and Sunday schools to operate. In general, looking at the statistical data of the major denominations of the Korean Church in the second half of the 20th century, shows that the Church has entered a period of stagnant or declining growth. Data also show that the number of students attending Sunday School is decreasing. The researcher identified four causes of the crisis faced by the Korean church and Korean Sunday school entering the 21st century. These trends are influenced by the tendencies of postmodernism, the deconstruction of modern universalism, the certainty and objectivity of knowledge, and the grand narrative and worldview of diffusion. Moreover, it is a phenomenon in which the young population decreases in contrast to the increasing elderly population in the age of population cliff in Korean society. Sunday Schools are also facing a crisis, as the youth population, who will become the future heroes of the Korean church, is declining. Finally, constraints of Church and Sunday school education activities are due to COVID-19 Pandemic. As analysis shows the loss of the Church's educational vision and a decrease in the passion for education. Accordingly, the researcher suggests four new strategies for the next generation of Korean Sunday schools, whose ranges from 200 members or less; this range covers the majority of Sunday School program run by churches in Korea. First, in the age of postmodernism, a time of uncertainty and relativism, Christian Societies requires teachers who are certain of absolute Christian truth and faith. Second, in an era of declining population cliffs for younger generations, a shift to a home-friendly Sunday school paradigm is needed. Third, during the COVID-19 pandemic, educational activities must appropriately utilize face-to-face and non-face-to-face communication. Finally, even in difficult times, Korean Sunday school should nevertheless remember the Lord's great commandment(Matthew 28:18-20) and restore the vision and passion of education to announce and teach the gospel. The researcher hopes that this study will provide small, positive steps in rebuilding Korean Sunday school educational activities for future generations in difficult times.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.35-47
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• 2014

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the pollution level (gaseous and particle phase) in the public facilities for the PAHs, non-regulated materials, forecast the risk level by the health risk assessment (HRA) and propose the guideline level. PAH assessments through sampling of particulate matter of diameter < 2.5 ${\mu}m$ ($PM_{2.5}$). The user and worker exposure scenario for the PAHs consists of 24-hour exposure scenario (WIES) assuming the worst case and the normal exposure scenario (MIES) based on the survey. This study investigated 20 PAH substances selected out of 32 substances known to be carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic. The risk assessment applies major toxic equivalency factor (TEF) proposed from existing studies and estaimates individual Excess Cancer Risk (ECR). The study assesses the fine dusts ($PM_{2.5}$) and the exposure levels of the gaseous and particle PAH materials for 6 spots in each 8 facility, e.g. underground subway stations, child-care facilities, elderly care facilities, super market, indoor parking lot, terminal waiting room, internet caf$\acute{e}$ (PC-rooms), movie theater. For internet caf$\acute{e}$ (PC-rooms) in particular, that marks the highest $PM_{2.5}$ concentration and the average concentration of 10 spots (2 spots for each cafe) is 73.3 ${\mu}g/m^3$ (range: 6.8-185.2 ${\mu}g/m^3$). The high level of $PM_{2.5}$ seen in internet cafes was likely due to indoor smoking in most cases. For the gaseous PAHs, the detection frequency for 4-5 rings shows high and the elements with 6 rings shows low frequency. For the particle PAHs, the detection frequency for 2-3 rings shows low and the elements with 6 rings show high frequency. As a result, it is investigated that the most important PAHs are the naphthalene, acenaphthene and phenanthrene from the study of Kim et al. (2013) and this annual study. The health risk assessment demonstrates that each facility shows the level of $10^{-6}-10^{-4}$. Considering standards and local source of pollution levels, it is judged that the management standard of the benzo (a)pyrene, one of the PAHs, shall be managed with the range of 0.5-1.2 $ng/m^3$. Smoking and ventilation were considered as the most important PAHs exposure associated with public facility $PM_{2.5}$. This study only estimated for inhalation health risk of PAHs and focused on the associated cancer risk, while multiple measurements would be necessary for public health and policy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 1985

This study was conducted to evaluate nutritional status with the analysis of the factors which might influence on the prevalent condition of nutrients-intake. 373 persons who are above 60 years old in Chung-Gu, Seoul were surveyed from March 15 to March 30 in 1985. Results were as follows ; 1. General Characteristics 1) Male respondents among the entire respondents comprised 54.3% and female respondents comprised 45.7%. As for age, male and female respondents comprised 55.0% and 37.2% respectively. 2) As for the educational level of the respondents, illiteracy was 49.9% which was the highest. and those who graduated elementary school was 28.1% which was the second highest. And as for the comparison of the education of the male and female respondents, the educational level of male respondents was much higher than that of female respondents. 3) As for the final occupation of the respondents, those who were engaged in commerce comprised 30.8% which was the highest rate, and who were engaged in agriculture comprised 20.1% which was the second highest rate. And those who were engaged in labor comprised 12.3%. 2. The State of Nutrients-intake The energy of the male respondents was 61.4% of RDA and the protein was nothing but 66.8% of RDA. Except vitamin A, vitamin $B_1$ and niacin, calcium, iron, vitamin $B_2$, vitamin C were lower than RDA (the range: $67.5%{\sim}97.3%$). The energy of the female respondents was 70.0% of RDA and the protein was 58.8% which were lower than RDA. Except vitamin A and vitamin $B_1$, calcium, iron, vitamin $B_2$ vitamin C, niacin were lower than RDA (the range: $68.2%{\sim}98.9%$). 3. The various factors related to nutrients-intake 1) The composition of family and the food environment those who were living with their spouses comprised 44.8% which was the highest rate, and those who were living with their son's family comprised 33.5% which was the second highest rate and those who were living with their doughter's family comprised only 4.6%. Those who were living alone comprised 16.4%. The correlation with nutrient intake didn't show a clear relation. 2) Socio-economic state Those who said that they lacked in living expense comprised 32.7% and those who said that they lacked in pocket-money comprised 23.9%, The female respondents outnumbered the male respondents in lacking living expense or pocket-money. In the correlation with socio-economic, there was no striking relation with education level. However, it was shown that little relation in energy, fat in male and also fat and iron in female. The living expense and the satisfaction in pocket-money had also little relation with energy fat and vitamin C in male. 3) Nutrition knowledge and food habit (a) The state of nutrition knowledge and food habit In nutrition knowledge, those who scored less than 60 points were 32.9%, and those who scored more than 90 points were 21.0%. In food habit, those who scored less than 60 points were 26.5% and those who scored more than 80 points were 45%. (b) The corelation with nutrition knowledge and food habit In case of female respondents, nutrition knowledge had a little relation with the intake of cabohydrate, iron, and vitamin C. And we couldn't see a distinct phenomenon in food habit.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.705-723
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• 2018

In this study we review the selected articles on elderly health and medical care published in the Journal of the Korea Gerontological Society (JKGS) in the last 40 years, and make suggestions for future research directions for gerontological health and medical care issues. Of all the 40 year publications from volume 1 (1980) to 38 (2017), we first examined the 30th anniversary review on the subject of gerontological nursing care and healthcare policies published in JKGS from 1980 (vol. 1, No. 1) to 2008 (vol. 28, No. 2), and reviewed recent 237 researches of this decade (out of all 655 articles from 2008, vol. 28, No. 3 to 2017, vol. 38, No. 4). We could find the following trends. Firstly, the analysis of the primary authors in the past 10 years revealed that those in public health, nursing and other health-related including physical education areas have dealt the subjects focusing on physical health while those in social welfare mostly on mental health. That is, physical health has been the prime subject of researches in the health and medical care area. Secondly, in the same period quantitative researches were accounted for 89.9%, which is similar to the trend of the first 30 years 81.5 %. On the other hand, qualitative studies were only 11 cases and the focus group interview were the most frequently used method comprising 33.3% among them. Thirdly, the non-experimental researches in the past 10 years comprise 65.4%, which was 82.7% in 1980 2008 period, indicating the increasing trend in experimental researches to deal with the issues in medical and healthcare fields. Lastly, the subjects of the researches were mostly the elders who are healthy, residents of city areas, or home dwellers, and 60% of them were over 65 years old in the past 10 years while the proportion was 42.7% in the previous review period. 81.6 % of the researches in the past 10 years was dealing both genders, slightly decreased trend compared to 88.5% of the previous review period. This study reveals that the researches in non-experimental physical health remains the main stream of JKGS despite the efforts by some researchers to diversify the methods and subjects. Systematic and in-depth researches employing multidisciplinary, qualitative, longitudinal and meta-analytical approaches are called for to guide the gerontolgical health issues with preventive and proactive perspectives.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.120-128
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• 2024

From February to now 2024, there continues to be controversy over the expansion of admission number to medical school. Some of the controversy arises from a mix of present and future time points. In the present time point, the controversy over whether physicians are some shortages or not has various aspects. Some aspects are presented as evidence of the physician shortage and others as non-shortage. Also, the presenting evidence of shortage is being disputed, and so is the evidence of the contrary. This controversy over whether there is a shortage or not in the present time point makes it difficult to reach a consensus. In 10 years, the shortage of doctors will increase due to the rapid increase in the elderly population, so the admission number of medical schools will need to be increased. However, the increase must be such that there is minimal deterioration in the quality of medical education. More admission numbers should be allocated to medical schools with a high quality of medical education. This study suggests that large-scale medical schools increase the admission number by 20%-30%, and small-scale medical schools increase the admission number by 40%-50%, if so, the total increasing number is 760 to 1,066. If the 2,000-person increase is enforced, the quality of medical education must be carefully evaluated and the results should be reflected in adjusting the admission number of medical schools. In 20 years later, the admission number of medical schools will have to be reduced. This is because the physician supply is changing to a linear function and the physician demand (medical care demand) is changing to a quadratic function. Even if the current number is maintained, there will be an excess of doctors from 2048, so the medical school admission number must be reduced and its size will be reduced to about 2,000, a 30% reduction from the current number. Because the same reduction rate for all medical schools will result in many small-scale medical schools, the M&A (mergers and acquisitions) strategy should be considered with 40 medical schools and 12 Korean medical schools. In Korea, the main contributor to estimating physician demand is the change in population structure. Due to the rapid decrease in the total fertility rate, future population projections are uncertain. The recent rapid increase in healthcare utilization should be reexamined in the forecasting of physician demand. Since the various factors that affect the estimate of doctor supply and demand are unclear, the estimate of physician supply and demand must be continuously conducted every five years, and the Health Care Workforce Committee must be established and operated. The effects of increasing the admission number of medical schools should be evaluated and adjusted annually.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.64-75
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of satisfaction in neighborhood park environments located in the Changwon-si of Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, on physical activity, the number of parks used for health improvement, and health levels based on Body Mass Index(BMI). Accordingly, a survey was conducted of 429 nearby residents and users of eight neighborhood parks located in urban areas of Seongsan-gu and Uichang-gu in the Changwon-si. The correlation between the environmental perception of neighborhood parks and physical activity and health, which was observed in the survey results, was analyzed using one-by-one linear regression analysis. By summarizing the study results, it was found that the primary reasons for avoiding park use were lack of time, time and effort required to reach the park(i.e., distance from the park), and lack of facilities within the park. Conversely, the primary reasons for using the park included accessibility, walking or strolling, leisure facilities, trees or shade, and diversity in exercise areas. In the case of park users, walking or strolling was the most common activity in the park. On average, park users walked to the parks for 10 minutes and exercised for an hour at least twice per week. With respect to the physical environment of the parks and surrounding areas, park users showed a high level of satisfaction with the distance between their houses and parks and the street environment. On the contrary, they exhibited low levels of satisfaction with water spaces and sightseeing within the parks. Subsequently, it was shown that the number of people using the parks for physical activities and health improvement was positively influenced(within a 5% significance level) by the intent to use the park for exercise, time spent in the park, satisfaction with park use and health improvement, distance to the park, and the convenience of using the park for the elderly. However, only the health improvement gained from park use was found to exhibit a correlation with BMI at the 10% significance level. Continuous accumulation of practical case studies on physical activities in parks and their health improvement effects is required. Through this, park spaces that are under the threat of reduction or elimination owing to various development plans can be conserved and expanded. Furthermore, such case studies can be used to provide data as the basis for deriving park plans and designs that improve parks' functions as sites of physical activity and health improvement.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.228-240
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the dietary and other factors affecting bone mineral density (BMD) in older Korean women. A total of 340 women aged 65 to 74 were recruited from the Kugoksoondam area (Kurye, Goksung, Soonchang and Damyang counties), known as the longevity-belt region in Jeonla province, Korea. They were categorized into two groups according to bone status by T-score : a nonosteoporotic group and an osteoporotic group. Demographic characteristics were collected, as well as information on physical measurements, blood tests for biochemical indicators, health status health-related life style, dietary behavior, favorite food groups, nutrient intake and mini nutrition assessment (MNA). The results are as follows: The mean age of 185 nonosteoporotic women was 69.6 years and that of 155 osteoporotic women was 70.9 years (p<0.001). The mean T-score of the nonosteoporotic group was $-1.5mg/cm^3$ and that of theosteoporotic group was $-3.2mg/cm^3$ (p<0.001). Height and body weight in the nonosteoporotic group were significantly higher than in the osteoporotic group (p<0.001, respectively). There was no significant difference in BMI, although the BMI in the nonosteoporotic group was slightly higher. Waist and hip circumferences in the nonosteoporotic group were significantly higher than in the osteoporotic group (p<0.01, respectively), and the mid upper arm and calf circumferences were also significantly higher than in the osteoporotic group (p<0.001, p<0.01, respectively). The 5 m walking ability was significantly superior compared to the osteoporotic group. Serum levels did not show any significant differences between the groups and were within normal range. The serum total protein, albumin and Insulin-like growth factor (IGFs) levels of the nonosteoporotic group were significantly higher than those of the osteoporotic group (p<0.05, p<0.05, p<0.001, respectively). IGF was 104.7 ng/mL for the nonosteoporotic group and 88.1 ng/mL for the osteoporotic group. Physical activity and appetite in the nonosteoporotic group were significantly higher (p<0.01, p<0.05, respectively). The favorite food groups of the nonosteoporotic group comprised more meats and fish than those of the osteoporotic group (p<0.05, respectively). Nutrient intake was not significantly different, with the exception of niacin intake (p<0.05), but the nutrient intake of the nonosteoporotic group was slightly higher than that of the osteoporotic group. The niacin intake of the nonosteoporotic group and the osteoporotic group were 11.4 mgNE and 10.0 mgNE, corresponding to 103.6% and 90.9% of the Korean EAR, respectively. The MNA score of the nonosteoporotic group was significantly more favorable than for the osteoporotic group. In conclusion, it is necessary to maintain adequate body weight and muscle mass. Habitual physical activity may have a beneficial effect on BMD for older women. Dietary factors, such as meat and fish, higher intake of niacin rich foods and nutrient status for older women also appear to have favorable effects on bone mineral density.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.74-90
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• 2001

Serious depopulation has occurred since the rapid economic growth after $1965{\sim}1995$. As a result, nowadays most of mountain villages face difficulty in maintaining and managing their settlement, because of the elderly population and the extremely small size of the settlement. Population change is understood as the origin of depopulation problems and the criterion for the depopulation. This study aims to identify the problems of over-depopulation in rural Korea and to classify the patterns and process of follow and to provide policy alternatives. It consists with the three parts : identifying the problems of over- depopulation, classifying the socio-economic factors of fallow land, analyzing a detailed case study of follow land in over-depopulation rural area-Sangju Gun and to provide policy alternatives. The results are summarizes as follows: 1) In the study area, the amount of fallow and abandoned cultivated land has increased since 1975. With the increased urbanization, the cause of the increase in fallow and abandoned cultivated-land is the labor shortage of quantity and quality. The underlying reasons for the abandonment of farmland are poor field conditions and the lack of rented farmland. 2) The secondary cause is a relative labor shortage through specialization into intensive horticulture. In the study area, specialization into pear requires intensive labor input. It has caused a relative labor shortage. 3) The third causes are landowner and the lack of rented farmland due to labor shortage. The declining of agriculture and forestry have caused out-migration and increased non-residents' landowner. 4) The fallow patterns are devided into two types the less favored farmland fallow type, non-residents' landowner(out-migrator) fallow type. The significant causes of the increase in fallow and abandoned cultivated land are the labor shortage, intensive farming, less favored farmland conditions, non-residents' landowner. The factors which caused the follow processes in Korea are socio-economic factors (labor shortage, intensive farming, less favored farmland conditions) and cultural factor(non-residents' landowner, psychological ties between rural areas and urban areas).

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.79-96
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• 2001

In order to ascertain the utilization patterns and Perception and attitudes of Primary Health Post(PHP) by rural residents in farm areas, a survey was conducted of 753 households(1,803 persons) in 24 PHPs in Sangju-si, Gyeongsangbuk- do, from December 10, 2000 to January 15, 2001. The morbidly rate of acute illnesses for last two weeks for all households was 29.6%, and the rate of use of medical facilities to treat acute illness was 98.3%. The morbidly rate was highest between the ages of 60 and 69, with a rate of 35.4%. The higher their ages and the lower their educational levels were, the higher the morbidly rate was. The morbidly rate of chronic illnesses for one year for all households was 19.2%, and the rate of use of medical facilities to treat chronic illness was 92.8%. The elderly over 70 years old had the highest morbidly rate of 37.2%. The higher their ages and the lower their educational levels were, the higher the chronic illnesses rate was. For the rate of use of medical facilities to treat acute diseases, the use of PHPs was 89.5%, accounting for the majority of the time. However, for chronic diseases, hospitals and clinics were used more often, with a rate of 48.9%, compared to the use of PHPs, 40.2%. Their previous experiences on the use of PHPs one year before the survey showed that 94.8% used PHPs, 72.2% just visited them, not for the purpose of getting any medical assistance, and 73.3% received health education from PHPs. 98.5% remembered the locations of PHPs, 98.6% thought that PHPs were helpful for their health management, and 84.3% said that PHPs were playing great roles in development of their communities. 97.4% said that they found PHPs necessary. They understood the main job of PHPs as in the order of disease treatment, vaccination and health counseling. The work that they mostly wanted PHPs to do was health counseling and health management, which 31.6% answered. 88.9% said the examination fee was not expensive, 98.4% said CHPs were kind, and 97.0% said they were satisfied with the services at PHPs. Complaints about PHPs included a lack of a variety of medications, said by 42.9%, and poor facilities, by 15.8%. According to the above results, it is concluded that local residents on survey were frequently using PHPs due to their geographical and economical conditions. Also, the residents appeared to be satisfied with the services at PHPs, and they had a high demand for public health service as well as disease treatment. Considering the complaints about medications and medical facilities and equipment, active supports are required to manage PHPs in a way it can provide desirable services to the residents in remote villages through the readjustment of PHPs' functions, reinforcement of facilities and equipment and enhancement of CHPs ' training.