• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.281-291
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• 2017

The present study aimed to investigate the rate of unmet healthcare needs for elderly over the age of 65 years, as well as analyze the relevance between employment status and unmet healthcare needs due to financial reasons. With regard to the study method, a logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the correlation between employment status and unmet healthcare needs due to financial reasons, targeting 5,528 subjects over the age of 65 years. The results showed that the rate of unmet healthcare needs was 18.9%, in which the rate of unmet healthcare needs due to financial reason was 8.1%. The rate of unmet health needs was higher for temporary workers(ORs=1.75) than for retirement workers. However, the rate of unmet healthcare needs caused by financial reasons was higher among day workers(ORs=1.92). In conclusion, in order to prevent unmet healthcare needs for senior Korean patients, it is necessary to not only improve the income security system for the elderly, but also improve the occupational form and level of income of these economically active citizens, considering the increase in average life expectancy. Moreover, it is also necessary to reinforce health insurance coverage systems for settling medical expenses.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.497-507
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this article was to evaluate the health related quality of life (HRQoL) of cancer survivors and to identify its predictors according to gender. Methods: The research was conducted with the data for 203 (cancer survivors?) taken from the 6th wave of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the EQ-5D index score was used for the measurement of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The independent variables inluded socio-demographic data, health related factors (survival duration, disability, subjective health recognition), and psychosocial factors (stress, unmet medical needs). The data were analyzed by the t-test, ANOVA, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Results: the HRQoL of the female cancer survivors was significantly worse than that of the males in terms of their mobility, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression quality of life. The only statistically significant factor affecting the HRQoL of the male cancer survivors was their subjective health recognition. In the case of the female cancer survivors, the statistically significant factors were their age, subjective health recognition and unmet medical needs. Conclusions: the results of this study showed a different pattern of predictors according to the gender of the cancer survivors. Therefore, gender should be considered when assessing and addressing the individual care needs of cancer survivors, in order to obtain optimal treatment outcomes.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.59-72
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• 2018

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate health care system recognition and influential factors using the data from the "2017 Health Care Experience Survey". Methods : Data on 7,000 participants in the Health Care Experience Survey were drawn and statistically examined using a t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. Results : First, the significant factors of health care service satisfaction were education, income, region, chronic diseases, unmet medical needs, satisfaction with doctors and institutions, and the health care system's reliability and importance. Second, the influential factors of willingness to pay additional health insurance premium were age, occupation, income, health status, chronic diseases, unmet medical needs, satisfaction with health care institutions, limit to utilization of medical services, necessity of health care reform, and the health care system's reliability, satisfaction, importance. Conclusions : Since the additional burden for improving the health care has been negative to the socially disadvantaged, there should be efforts to provide stable health care funding for financial stability of the health insurances by considering public opinions and reaching social consensus.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.77-86
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of Home Health Nursing based Respiratory Management Program (HHNbRMP) on unmet healthcare need and healthcare resource utilizations of patients applying the home mechanical ventilator in the home with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The subjects of this study were 40 patients placed in an experimental group(n=19) and a control group(n=21), respectively. This HHNbRMP based on Cox's interaction model was consisted of cognitive assent (education, specialized medical care, case management), internal motivation (airway clearance, thoracic and air accumulated exercise) and psychological response (meditation & active listening). The intervention was applied to experimental group during 12 weeks. As variables was measured at baseline, twelve, twenty-four weeks and healthcare unmet need, resource utilizations (admission, out patient department, emergency room) was measured at 24 weeks. The data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA and Repeated Measures ANCOVA. This intervention was not effective the unmet healthcare need. But the admission in to the hospital among the healthcare resource utilizations variables showed a significant difference at twenty-four weeks(t=4.17, p=.049). This results suggest that applying this program tailored to patients condition, utility of medical resource would be decreased, specially admission.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.413-425
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• 2011

Purpose: This study conducted a survey on the elderly with physical debilities, who are in a medically vulnerable social class, to examine closely their demo-sociological characteristics, unmet needs, dental states, and living qualities and satisfaction levels relating to oral health and social supports to them, and also to prepare the basis for effective public medical policies and health improvement programs aimed at improving the quality of life for the elderly with physical debilities. Methods: Twenty-two elderly care facilities within Jeju Special Self-Government Province participated in the survey. Between 11 January and 5 March 2010, a total of 250 elderly persons(65 and over) with physical debilities were interviewed and their dental health was checked. Results: The results of the survey are as follows. The need for social support for dental care of the elderly with physical debilities was high in the medical institution-supported service (49.6%). The unmet needs for physical care were high in bathing (49.6%) and using public transportation (71.6%). More than half of these surveyed had ten or fewer teeth. The survey found that 31.6% of the participants experienced problems eating, due to poor dental health. Concerning quality of life, 30.5% of those surveyed experienced physical pain. Conclusion: In summary, the ages of the survey participants directly relates to the degree of behavioral debility experienced. The more debility a participant exhibits, the greater is the need for social support and dental care. The dental health of a participant directly relates to a higher quality of life. Good dental health of a participant translate to better quality of life. In light of the fact that the elderly with physical debilities suffer from a lack of accessibility to medical care and worse oral health than do other elderly persons, it is essential to increase accessibility to medical institutions that can provide such services as door to door dental care. Current insurance policies, funding for denture insurance, and free denture and denture-upgrade programs desperately need to be expanded. Therefore, to improve effectively the quality of life for the elderly with physical debilities civil dental medical resources should be encouraged to provide inclusive and prevention-focused medical care. In the public domain, door to door dental care services and cooperation with civil dental care resources need to be improved to increase impartial accessibility to dental medical institutions.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.77-92
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• 2011

Objectives : This study examined the health policy researchers' needs and their accessibility towards health insurance claim datasets according to their academic capacity. Methods : An online questionnaire to capture relevant proxy variables for academic needs, accessibility, and research capacity was constructed based on previous studies. The survey was delivered to active health policy researchers through three major scholarly associations in South Korea. Seven-hundred and one scholars responded while the survey as open for 12 days (starting on December 20th, 2010). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were carried out. Results : Regardless of the definition for operational needs, the prevalent needs of survey respondents were not met with the current provision of claim data. Greater research capacity was shown to be correlated with increased demand for claim data along with a positive correlation between attempts to obtain claim datasets and research capacity. A greater research capacity, however, was not necessarily correlated with better accessibility to the claim data. Conclusions : The substantial unmet need for claim data among the healthcare policy research community calls for establishing proactive institutions which could systematically prepare and make available public datasets and provide call-in services to facilitate proper handling of data.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.433-441
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• 2020

This study was attempted to use as basic data for developing a nursing intervention program suitable for terminal cancer patients by analyzing the unmet needs of advanced cancer patients receiving palliative chemotherapy and identifying the influencing factors. The subject of the study consisted of 71 patients with advanced cancer who were admitted to a university hospital and received palliative chemotherapy, and the research tool used CNAT (Comprehensive Needs Assessment tool in Cancer) developed by Shin et al., and data analysis was an independent sample. It was analyzed by t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression analysis. As a result of the study, the medical staff's area was the highest at 2.34 ± 0.63 out of 4 points, followed by psychological problems (2.09 ± 0.53) and information education (1.69 ± 0.45). Factors influencing unmet needs include educational background (β=.207, p=.047), thoughts on death (β=-.269, p=.018), diagnosis (β=-.283, p=. 013). Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to consider the needs of the medical staff in advanced cancer patients, provide psychological support, and consider ways to meet the needs according to academic background and diagnosis.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.80-91
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of the study quantitatively investigates the experience of unmet healthcare service utilization by rural populations in vulnerable areas during the COVID-19 pandemic based on Andersen's behavior model. At the same time, this study attempts to describe the experiences of unmet healthcare service utilization among participants in vulnerable rural areas by analyzing qualitative contents through open-ended question. Methods: Data were collected from October to November 2022 using Qualtrix, a web-based survey platform. A total of 863 participants completed an online survey. Quantitative data were analyzed using 𝑥² test and logistic regression analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Results: The factors affecting participants' unmet healthcare service utilization were type of residential area and underlying disease. The qualitative analysis identified; four categories and nine sub-categories. Conclusion: Based on these findings, it is necessary to develop a disaster nursing response model according to the type of residential areas and the number of people.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.173-185
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• 2019

Objective: To gather inputs from clinical experts on selecting and prioritizing research topics, to address unmet vaccine safety needs. Methods: A questionnaire containing 15 vaccine safety assessment research proposals was sent to 28 vaccine experts chosen from various domestic medical association boards, and the rationale for each of the proposals was provided by presenting the following information: 1) a brief summary of the clinical safety studies on the vaccine, conducted by the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) project group, supervised by the United States Center for Disease Control (U.S. CDC), and 2) a summary of recently published studies that address vaccine safety issues. The experts were instructed to select and rank 5 topics in the order of preference, and the preference score for each proposed topic was calculated by assigning points on a scale of 1 to 5. Results: All 28 experts responded to the questionnaire, and the following topics were selected according to their calculated preference scores: 1) Human papillomavirus vaccine safety profile in the Korean female adolescents; 2) A signal detection of adverse events following Influenza vaccination: comparison between the US and South Korea; 3) Incidence of anaphylaxis following National Immunization Program vaccines between 2008 and 2017; 4) Safety of quadrivalent influenza vaccines compared to trivalent influenza vaccines; and 5) Pneumococcal vaccine safety profile in the general population. Conclusion: Five research topics addressing vaccine safety were selected, for which well-constructed research protocols need to be promptly developed to address current unmet vaccine safety needs in South Korea.