• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.172-179
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• 2012

Objectives : This study was designed to quantify the characteristics, main diagnosis and complications in the intensive care unit (ICU) at an Oriental Medical Hospital. Methods : The medical records of 44 patients admitted to the ICU at Kyunghee Oriental Medical Hospital between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 were reviewed. Basic characteristics of patients, admission channel, main diagnosis, east-western medical therapy, mortality, and complications were investigated retrospectively based on medical notes. Results : 1. The total number of patients was 44. Males were 63.6%, females 36.3%. Average admission days was 15.9. 2. The most frequent age group is eighties, 38.6%. 3. The most frequent disease is cerebrovascular disease, 61.3%. 4. The medical therapy done after admission to ICU was intubation. Central vein insertion was performed next, followed by Foley's catheter insertion, ventilator, tracheostomy, nasogastric intubation, and thoracentesis in order. The proportion of Oriental medical treatment provided to the patients of ICU was as follows: herbal medication only 6.8%; herbal medication plus acupuncture 31.8%; herbal medication, acupuncture electro-acupuncture, plus subcutaneous acupuncture 2.3%; and none 27.3%. 5. The number of cases of complications occurred since ICU admission was 18. The most frequently observed complication was infection, including 6 cases of pneumonia and 4 cases of urinary tract infection. Conclusions : We suggest that ICUs of Oriental medical hospitals need to be managed effectively to treat diseases including cerebrovascular disease and prevent complications.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.143-166
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• 2006

It has been well known that women live longer but suffer more from degenerative diseases than men do, which, in turn, results in frequent utilization of medical care services among women. Previous studies, mostly based on Western society, have discussed that women, particularly married women, are more likely to utilize medical care services than men even after considerations of different health status and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Social interests in women's health and socialization process of caring for health among women are known as causes. This study examines sex differentials in the medical care service utilization in Korean society, particularly focusing on marital status. Feministic perspectives in Korea have argued that sex division of labor within family puts women in a position that has to continuously provide physical and emotional services to other family members, which keeps them from taking care of their own health. This study empirically tests if this feministic perspective holds true in Korea. Results show that Korean women and those with spouse are more likely to utilize medical care services than their men and the spouse-less counterparts, net of other risk factors. However the effect of existence of spouse on the medical care utilization is much smaller among women than men. These results suggest that the feministic perspective is in part applicable to explain sex differentials on medical care service utilization in Korea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.459-466
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• 2003

Mycobacterium kansasii is the second most common cause of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease in Western countries and Japan. The clinical and radiological features of pulmonary disease caused by M. kansasii usually resemble those of pulmonary tuberculosis including cavitary infiltrates with an upper lobe predilection. It is also now apparent that patients with M. kansasii pulmonary disease can present with noncavitary nodular bronchiectatic infiltrates similar to lung diseases of M. avium complex. With rifampin-containing regimens, treatment success rates are almost 100%. Timely diagnosis before the development of extensive disease and effective overall treatment strategies are very important to ensure that patients receive the appropriate medications for a sufficiently long period of time. To our knowledge, there has been no Korean case report of M. kansasii pulmonary disease in the immunocompetent patient until now. We report three cases of M. kansasii pulmonary disease in immunocompetent adult patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.562-580
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• 1995

This research was an attempt to make it possible to provide nursing care and health education meet- ing the need not of care givers but of patients by identifying the nature of patients' self regulation experiences. The specific objective of this study was : 1) to explore self regulation experiences of patients with adult disease. The phenomenological approach in qualitative studies is used to serve this purpose. Colaizzi's method is used for the phenomenological analysis of the data in this study, which were collected from 25 patients hospitalized in the internal medical ward and oriental medical ward of a Seoul hospital, suffering from adult disease such as hypertension, arteriosclerosis and diabetes mellitus. The research was conducted over a period of March to September, 1994. The investigator conducted participated observations and in-depth unstructured interviews which were audiotaped under the permission of patients. The investigator read the data repeatedly to identify and categorize significant statements, formulating meanings, themes and theme clusters. The result is categorized as follows : Self regulation activities, their barriers and predisposing factors of a disease. Thirteen theme clusters of self regulation activities related to health identified were. “maintaining diet regimen”, “maintaining exercise regimen”, “maintaining medication regimen”, “maintaining oriental medical regimen”, “maintaining health monitoring regimen”, “maintaining self effort”, “maintaining religious life”, “maintaining social sup-port systems”, “maintaining peaceful mind”, “maintaining moderation in life”, “maintaining sincere attitude in life”, “maintaining natural life”, and “maintaining folk remedy” This findings confirm the fact that self regulation is complicatedly and diversely influenced by oriental medicine and folk remedy, and Korean traditional ideas melted in Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and Shamanism, and modern medical care and western culture. Seven theme clusters of self regulation barriers identified were : "lack of knowledge and self aware-ness", "lack of social supports", "lack of awareness of need in continuous regimen and treatment", "dissatisfaction with hospital and health care provider", "lack of self management ", "lack of will to combat illness", and "overconfidence in folk remedy" Four theme clusters of predisposing factors of a disease were : "cumulation of stressors", "fatalism", "careless life style", and "family history". In conclusion, this. study will prove helpful not only in understanding clients in light of our traditional culture but also in providing them with the kind of nursing care and health education satisfying their demands and particularly cultural needs.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.389-400
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• 2014

Objectives: Though there are many studies about sleep disorder, no research has been performed on the utilization of oriental medicine as a treatment. Therefore, the oriental medical treatment pattern of Korean patients with sleep disorders was examined herein using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRAS). Methods: The medical records of patients with sleep disorders (G47) or nonorganic sleep disorders (F51) as a main diagnosis were adopted from the HIRAS database from 2011 to 2013. Analysis was performed on the number of patients and cost per patient, with comparison between oriental and western medicine in terms of gender, age, patient care service type, and hospital type. Results: 1) Regarding sleep disorders, the medical visits and insurance charges have been increasing. Western medicine was utilized 8 times more often than oriental medicine during 3 years. 2) There were 2.5 times more women than men. 3) Among all ages, the 50~59 year group had the highest representation. 4) In comparison of average portions of patient care type over 3 years, outpatients were the majority, while the number of visits of outpatients and hospitalization has been increasing. 5) Comparison of average portion of oriental hospital type over 3 years revealed oriental clinics to be used most. The use of general hospitals was higher in western medicine treatment, while public health centers used oriental medicine more. 6) Regarding average oriental medical cost per patient over 3 years, the total was 88,000 won, with 353,000 won for hospitalization and 85,000 won for outpatients. The outpatient cost has been increasing. 7) In line with 6, oriental medical hospitals cost 126,000 won, local clinics were 85,000 won, and etc. was 95,000 won. Average costs of all types have increased during 3 years, except oriental medical hospitals in 2013. Conclusions: This study provided objective information about the epidemiologic characteristic of oriental medicine used for treatment of sleep disorder. For expansion of oriental medical demand for sleep disorder, this study would be helpful in understanding the recent status.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 2010

Objectives : Recently, the number of elderly people has been rapidly increasing in Korea, and it led to increase demands of Korean traditional medical services. However, there is a lack of information on Korean traditional service utilization. Thus, this study was intended to identify Korean traditional service utilization patterns such as acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping, since Korean traditional services were specially used in treating chronic diseases for elderly people. It is important to understand health services utilization for quality improvement of healthcare systems. Methods:We used data of 'Survey in Daegu' in 2008 and analyzed characteristics of disease structure and utilization patterns of health care service of 1,097 cases of participated citizens. Results : The proportion of the elderly people (>50 age) in total participators is 52.4%. Male to female ratio is 1:1.65 and most common age group was between 50 and 59 years old. 84.2% of participators were admitted at oriental health care facilities. In addition, the results showed that female were more used the service than man. The most common treated disease is musculoskeletal disorders in both male and female. Conclusions : Acupuncture, moxa and cupping are widely used to treat chronic degenerative diseases such as musculoskeletal disorders at oriental health care facilities. Elders and female prefer to be admitted at oriental health care facilities.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.157-166
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to search for more effective methods of diagnosis and treatment of Fracture. Methods : Literature review on Fracture in view of oriental and western medicine. Conclusions : Fracture is classified by anatomical location, grade, shape of line, displacement and cause. The symptom of Fracture is pain, tenderness, deformity, attitude, abnormal mobility, crepitus, neurovascular injury. Fracture is not the same in Healing process by location. The age, endocrine system, chronic debilitating disease, stabilization is effect on healing period and process. Treatment of Fracture is classified emergency care, definite treatment and rehabilitation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.3
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• pp.275-283
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• 2012

Background: Healthy individuals who develop nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung disease are likely to have specific susceptibility factors which can lead to a NTM infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism underlying innate immune responses, including the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), in Mycobacterium abscessus lung disease. Methods: Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and p38 MAPK expression in monocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured by Western blot analysis after stimulation by Mycobacterium avium in five patients with M. abscessus lung disease and seven healthy controls. A M. avium-induced cytokine assay was performed after inhibition of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK pathways. Results: Mycobacterium avium induced p38 and ERK1/2 expression in monocytes from healthy controls and subsequently upregulated tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 production. In monocytes from patients with M. abscessus lung disease, however, induction of p38 and ERK1/2 expression, and the production of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, and IL-10 were significantly lower. Conclusion: Decreased activity of MAPK and cytokine secretion in monocytes from patients with M. abscessus lung disease may provide an explanation regarding host susceptibility to these uncommon infections.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.116-135
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• 1991

Few studies have been conducted on the detailed routes of medical care utilization under the National Health Insurance. This study was undertaken to identify the utilization patte군 of health care facilities among industrial workers and their dependents. One of the largest health insurance association was purposively chosen for this objective. The association had 345, 757 members as of 31 December, 1990. The study sample of 297, 948 subjects have been drawn from the membership pool on the basis of their continuous membership status during 1 January through 31 December 1990. This study has tried to identify differential utilization patterns between acute and chronic conditions, and among standard income classes. All the diagnoses were recoded in a manner to achieve the objective of this study. As for acute diseases, most age group had used one medical facility as much as by 60% except the age group of 1-4, This young age group had used over three different health facilities as much as by 10.9-15.8%. The finding suggests that some policy measures by sought for remedying the excessive/inappropriate use of services. In addition, mid-income classes(between 17 and 48) were more likely to use multiple sources of care than lower income classes(between 1 and 16) and upper income classes(above 49). This study has revealed that chronic cases are more likely to pursue multiple sources of care, however those with chronic conditions tend to use single health facility more than those with acute conditions(67.9% versus 52.4%). As many as 12.2% have visited more than three health facilities in chronic conditions, but 5.9% for acute conditions. The most likely source of care was primary clinics for both acute and chronic conditions. Compared with the role of general hospital, small-size hospitals found to play a minimal role in the care and referral of patients. This indicates the need of strengthening the function of small-size hospitals. While a minor cross utilization of western medicine and pharmacy was noted, no significant boundary crossing was identified between western medicine and oriental medicine, or between pharmacy and oriental medicine. It is too early to confirm that whether there is substitutability or cross utilization among these alternative sources of care. A further study is needed to identify these relationship.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.51-60
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• 2022

Objectives: Currently, Korea's medical services are divided into Western medicine and Korean medicine, and people who are not satisfied with the existing treatments are looking for complementary and alternative medicine(CAM). Therefore, this study attempted to confirm patients' perception of the ongoing collaborative treatment and integrated medical service that added CAM to collaborative treatment based on tertiary hospital users. So that we can confirm the expected advantage and disadvantage of integrated medical service system and the necessity of supporting medical expenses for it. Methods: The survey was conducted on 100 people who experienced tertiary hospital treatment and other 100 people who experienced both tertiary hospital treatment and Korean medicine treatment at the same period. The survey was conducted until the number of respondents in both group reached 100. The survey was conducted through e-mail and was conducted from September 27, 2021 to October 8, 2021. Results: For the advantages of collaborative treatment 'increased in psychological stability,' and for disadvantages 'longer time spent for treatment' were the most common. If integrated medical services are implemented in the future, expected advantages include 'consideration of various treatments.' and expected disadvantages include 'increased medical cost.' The needs to expand support for health insurance for integrated medical services were 75.5% among responders. Conclusions: We were able to find out the (expected) advantages and disadvantages of the collaborative medical care and the integrated medical system that medical users experienced or expected, also confirmed positive answers to the expansion of health insurance support for the integrated medical system.