• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2006

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between regional material deprivation and the standardized mortality ratios(SMRs) of community residents aged 15-64 in Korea. Methods: SMRs were investigated using the registered death data from 1995 to 2000 that was obtained from the Korean National Statistics Office with the denominators being drawn from the 1995 to 2000 census. Material deprivation was measured using the Townsend score that was calculated from the 1995 to 2000 census. The relationship between the regional material deprivation and the SMRs of the community residents aged 15-64 was investigated by using ANOVA, Spearman's rank correlation analysis and Pearson's correlation analysis. The trends in mortality inequality were investigated using the concentration index. Results: On the ANOVA, the SMRs of the men and women residents in the least deprived areas were the smallest and those in the most deprived areas were the largest. Spearman's rank correlation analysis, Pearson's correlation analysis and the concentration index revealed that significant positive relationships exist between the regional material deprivation and the SMRs of the community residents aged 15-64. Conclusions: This study suggests that there are mortality inequalities among the communities in Korea and part of this difference is due to the material deprivation of the community. Strategies aimed at reducing mortality inequalities among the communities will be needed to address economic inequalities. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanisms of how the regional deprivation influences on health and how the other factors of the community influence on the health of the community residents.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 2020

This study examines the poverty indicators in Northeast region of Thailand by adopting the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) methodology and the national survey of Minimum Basic Needs (MBN) of Thailand. Data are collected from three different districts in Khon Kaen province namely: Khok Po Chai, Sam Sung, and Nam Pong. The sample size is 187 households. Data analysis uses Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression approach and includes 7 dimensions of poverty (health, environment, education, economy, Thai value, asset? empowerment, and digital literacy) with a total of 41 indicators. This study has found that poverty indicators in Khon Kaen province remains centered around the aspects of health and employment dimensions. While a change of family structure in the Thai society since 1960s reduces the family size, household saving substantially increases over the years. The effects of health dimension in poverty, on the other hand, appears on the other poverty dimension of Thai value, which include (1) a bad living habit of head of household (smoke or alcohol consumption) that links with illness and disease, (2) religious practice, and (3) chronic illness. Lastly, there are income gaps of different careers in the area, which suggests the issue of income inequality.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.123-134
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• 2007

Since 1996, the Health Promotion Programme spearheaded by the Korean Central Government has been actively developing and recently, the Healthy City Project led by the local autonomous entities have also been actively promoted. Healthy City is one in which the health and well-being of the citizens are given the utmost importance in the decision-making of the city. While the Health Promotion Programme focuses on changing the "health behavior" of the people, the Healthy City Project, a policy to improve the existing inequality of public health services, deals with more essential health factors and requires political support as well as a new organization. The Healthy City paradigm based on the New Public Health started in England and ever since the Healthy City Model Project spearheaded by the EURO WHO began in 1986, the Alliance for Healthy Cities centered in the West Pacific region supported by the WHO in Oct 2003 was inaugurated. 19 Korean cities are full members of the Alliance for Healthy Cities and 2 laboratories are associate members. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has held the Healthy City Forum consisting of related officials, experts and representatives of civic bodies on 6 occasions since Dec 2005. The need for adequate administrative and financial support from the Central Government to the local autonomous entities governing the Healthy Cities was raised. It is hoped that this Healthy City Project will bring about the improved health conditions of the people as well as promote the equality of the public health services.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.220-227
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• 2020

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess how different social determinants of health (SDoH) may be related to variability in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rates in cities and towns in Massachusetts (MA). Methods: Data about the total number of cases, tests, and rates of COVID-19 as of June 10, 2020 were obtained for cities and towns in MA. The data on COVID-19 were matched with data on various SDoH variables at the city and town level from the American Community Survey. These variables included information about income, poverty, employment, renting, and insurance coverage. We compared COVID-19 rates according to these SDoH variables. Results: There were clear gradients in the rates of COVID-19 according to SDoH variables. Communities with more poverty, lower income, lower insurance coverage, more unemployment, and a higher percentage of the workforce employed in essential services, including healthcare, had higher rates of COVID-19. Most of these differences were not accounted for by different rates of testing in these cities and towns. Conclusions: SDoH variables may explain some of the variability in the risk of COVID-19 across cities and towns in MA. Data about SDoH should be part of the standard surveillance for COVID-19. Efforts should be made to address social factors that may be putting communities at an elevated risk.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.41-50
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to apply an effective oral health promotion program and effect for underprivileged lower grade students. This study attempted to resolve some oral health inequality issues by providing underprivileged children with an oral health action program designed to promote positive oral health maintenance habits. Methods: This study was carried from May to August of 2009 with 77(control group 27 subjects, experimental group 36 subjects) elementary school students selected among first to third graders attending regional welfare center's after school program in Seoul. To the control group, conventional education methods were applied. To the experimental group, newly designed program was conducted by three project experts(1 expert, 1 dentist, 1 dental hygienist). It consisted of 5 sessions and progressed with various activities. It was focused on achieving target knowledge and changing oral health behavior. In order to evaluate the designed educational program, learners' achievement was evaluated with implementing the questionnaire and one-on-one interviews. And also the oral health improvement was evaluated based on change of Patient Hygiene Performance(PHP) index. Results: Based on the results of learners' achievement, the experimental group showed the significant increment of the oral health knowledge by the relapsed time, and it maintained after finished the program(p<0.001). The patient hygiene performance index showed not significant changed(p>0.05), but 1 month later the control group showed an increment of the PHP score, but the experimental group showed a decrement of it. Conclusions: Oral health promotion program by project approach could give a long-lasting educational effect to the children and encouraged proper oral hygiene behavioral changes.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.83-104
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• 2008

Objectives: Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) is a kind of health promotion approach to increase social cohesion and sense of community, which has built the collaborated partnership in all phases. This has the co-ownership of research objectives and knowledges produced by residents, and the outcome was taken to enhance community empowerment. This study performed to embody CBPR, which had regulated collective health status approached by social epidemiology. Methods: Reference review had been exercised focused on CBPR books and papers published since 1990. Our interests were aimed at its paradigm and methodological issues. Particularly, we problematized its feasibility in the social and behavioral foundations of pubic health. Results: According to the review, CBPR shared critical understanding and decision-making related to their community development including health status. Therefore, it was strength-based approach in spite of scientific dichotomy. CBPR created social cohesion and community empowerment with all participants, because it sublated contradiction between subjectivism and objectivism. Conclusions: The success of CBPR needs what we so called trust, democracy, collaboration, devotion, and consensus of equity. Despite these factors, CBPR may be a methodological transition to prepare some intervention of health inequality. This is because it does emphasize a mixture of theory and praxis to manage vulnerable people in community.

• The Journal of Health Technology Assessment
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this research is to investigate regional variations of mastication difficulty rates in the elderly over 65 in 229 primary autonomous districts in Korea and explore relevant characteristics. For the research data, local community health survey conducted in 2015 and data from Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Health & Welfare, National Health Insurance Service and Statistics Korea were used. Methods: Frequency analysis was conducted for general characteristics and mastication difficulty rates of each region, and distribution of mastication difficulty rates was displayed for each town, city and province by mapping them. Extremal quotient (EQ), coefficient of variation (CV) values were calculated for regional variations, and logistic regression analysis was performed to reveal the relationship between each independent variable and mastication difficulty rates. Results: The average of standardized mastication difficulty rate was 46.78%, and regional variations were significant with EQ 3.46, CV 0.18. Characteristic factors that have significant effects on mastication difficulty rate included sex ratio, elderly population and the number of dentists per 10000 people. Conclusion: As a result, there were variations among mastication difficulty rates in 229 primary local governments across the country, and the distribution of health care resources by the characteristics of the local environment by region affected mastication difficulty rates. Accordingly, it is required to provide political supports to overcome regional inequality of oral health levels and develop cooperative system between local governments and local dentists.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.165-177
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• 2023

Objectives: The objective of this study was to develop strategies aimed at reducing disparity of physical activity in urban community. Methods: The study was conducted in a urban vulnerable area, focusing on the establishment and operation of a community health organization through the residents' autonomy council. Training programs were provided to the members of the council to enhance their capabilities. The research project was planned and implemented using a living lab approach. Based on these activities, the health division of residents autonomy council was newly established. Results: The findings demonstrated the potential and feasibility of utilizing the residents' autonomy council as a community-led health organization. A health project model centered on the health division of the residents' autonomy council was developed. Conclusions: This study concluded that it is possible to effectively promote health projects to reduce the health disparity through the resident-led participation strategy on the residents' autonomy council in the community.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2017

Objectives: About for twenty years, immigrant women in South Korea have steadily increased due to economic growth and industrialization. According to previous studies in terms of immigrants, subjective socio-economic status(SES) as well as objective SES such as income, occupation and level of education predict health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine association between subjective social status and perceived health among immigrant women. Methods: We analyzed 12,531 participants from the 2012 National Survey of Multicultural Families. Study variables included subjective SES in Korea, subjective SES in community and perceived health. Control variables were age, household income, employment, education, marital status, ethnicity, language proficiency. For this study, descriptive analysis, Chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: Among immigrant women, after adjusting for control variables, level of education in community was not associated with perceived health. Otherwise, subjective social status in Korea(low subjective social status reference group vs high subjective status : OR 2.056) was associated with perceived health. Conclusions: Immigrant women in Korea would be culturally affected by inherent characteristic rather than social economic status. Through this study, in order to improve health inequality among immigrant women, we should consider developing social supports and networks.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.568-577
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• 2022

Objectives: Many studies have shown that social distancing, as a non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) that is one of the various measures against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is an effective preventive measure to suppress the spread of infectious diseases. This study explored the relationships between traditional health-related behaviors in Korea and social distancing practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2020 Community Health Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (n=98 149). The dependent variable was the degree of social distancing practice to cope with the COVID-19 epidemic. Independent variables included health-risk behaviors and health-promoting behaviors. The moderators were vaccination and unmet medical needs. Predictors affecting the practice of social distancing were identified through hierarchical multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Smokers (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.924) and frequent drinkers (aOR, 0.933) were more likely not to practice social distancing. A greater degree of physical activity was associated with a higher likelihood of practicing social distancing (aOR, 1.029). People who were vaccinated against influenza were more likely to practice social distancing than those who were not (aOR, 1.150). However, people with unmet medical needs were less likely to practice social distancing than those who did not experience unmet medical needs (aOR, 0.757). Conclusions: Social distancing practices were related to traditional health behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and physical activity. Their patterns showed a clustering effect of health inequality. Therefore, when establishing a strategy to strengthen social distancing, a strategy to protect the vulnerable should be considered concomitantly.