• Health Policy and Management
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.85-122
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• 2001

This study compared and analyzed the effect of income-redistribution, collecting data on the basis of the estimated details of insurance contribution and individual money wage lists for each one year before and after the combination of medical insurance program for industrial workers, by systematic sampling, extracting 4,160 families(14,764 people) among people applied to medical insurance program for self employees in Taegu City on the basis of Oct. 1st in 1998 with 227 associations of medical insurance program for self employees and medical insurance program for government employees and private school teachers combined, comparing the effect of income redistribution of before and after the combination of medical insurance program for self employees. The insurance contribution by household after the combination of medical insurance program for self employees showed the increase rate of average 20.9%, among them households of 68.8% increased and 31.2% decreased. The effect of income-redistribution was more positive because the degree of inequality was more deepened from 0.64 of the before-combination to 0.45 of the after-one in decile distribution ratio, from 0.26 to 0.34 in Gini -coefficient. Decile distribution ratio on the basis of insurance benefits by household was from 0.09 in the before-combination to 0.14 in the after-one, Gini-coefficient from 0.16 in the before-combination to 0.57 in the after-one was a little lowered. And decile distribution ratio of insurance benefits on the basis of insurance contribution was higher from 1.08 in the before-combination to 1.23 in the after-one, concentration index was a little lowered from 0.14 to 0.11, the effect of income-redistribution was improved in the phase of insurance benefits. The income-transfer rate of medical insurance program for self employees (the occupied rate of insurance benefits/ the occupied rate of insurance contribution) showed a lower trend in all of the before and after-combination towards upper classes, it was known that the income-transfer rate was higher from 1st degree to 7th degree in the after-combination in comparison with the before-one, but the effect of income¬redistribution was high because the income-transfer rate was lowered from 8th degree to 10th degree. The rate of medical insurance benefits (insurance benefits/ insurance contribution) increased from 0.79 in the before-combination to 1.07 in the after-one, and showed over 1.0 under 3th degree before the combination, but all of it was higher than 1.0 under 7th degree after the combination, the after-combination was more improved than the before-one in view of the rate of insurance benefits. As the result of above, on the basis of Oct. 1st in 1998 that 227 associations of medical insurance program for self employees was combined into one, we could say that the equality of imposing medical insurance contribution was more re-considered in the after-combination than in the before-one. But this study analyzed with classes divided, anyway, on the basis of insurance contribution, we have limit in explaining the correct effect of income-redistribution, because it was not analyzed according to classes of income, though it helps to analogize the effect of income-redistribution. So there must be analysis about the effect of income-redistribution, on the basis of the system, building up the system to grasp the correct income of the insureds of medical insurance program for self employees.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.217-225
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• 2009

As Pain is a comprehensive, biopsy chosocial phenomenon, improved understanding and successful management of pain need assessment of health-related quality of life and psychological states. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pain severity and pain-related interference to daily lives for patients with non-dental, orofacial pain(OFP) and a possible relation of OFP with psychological morbidity. Relation with such factors as gender, age, pain duration and diagnosis was also assessed. Inclusion criteria was all new patients with non-dental OFP attending the oral medicine.orofacial pain clinic of Dankook University Dental Hospital over 3 months' period, who completed the questionnaires of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Prior to the first consultation, the patients were asked to fill out the questionnaire in the waiting room and were diagnosed through consultation and clinical examination. Total subjects were 163 with M:F ratio of 1:1.5 and mean age of 34.6${\pm}$17.7 years. Mean duration of pain was 13.3${\pm}$26.2 months and all patients were divided into; Trigeminal Neuralgia group (TN, N=8), Neuropathic Pain group (NeP, N=9), Persistent Idiopathic Facial Pain group (PIFP, N=8), and Temporomandibular Disorders group (TMD, N=138), subdivided into muscle problem (TMD-m, N=73), joint problem (TMD-j, N=24) and muscle-joint combined problem (TMD-c, N=41). OFP patients showed moderate pain severity and moderate pain-related interference. There was no gender difference in overall pain severity and interference and levels of anxiety and depression. Elderly patients aged ${\geq}$ 60 years showed higher pain severity (p<0.05). Patients with chronic pain ${\geq}$ 3 months reported more increased level of anxiety and depression than those with acute pain (p<0.05). Compared to TMD patients, patients with TN, NeP and PIFP suffered from higher level of pain and pain-related interference and reported higher level of anxiety and depression (p<0.05). Pain interference was closely correlated with their pain severity and with psychometric properties such as anxiety and depression. Pain severity was weakly correlated with levels of anxiety and depression. The results suggest a need for psychosocial assessment and support for successful management of OFP in addition to control of pain itself.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.201-223
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to verify empirically the causal relationship between service quality, ease of use, customer satisfaction, and repurchase intention of mobile shopping mall. And this study is to investigate the ease of use and customer satisfaction mediating effect of between service quality and repurchase intention. Therefore, 323 university students in Jeonnam area were surveyed and the structural equation model was derived based on previous research. Service quality of mobile shopping mall make a significant effect on using easiness, purchasing satisfaction and repurchase intention. However, among service quality of mobile shopping mall, service scape like mobile interface and site design made a positive effect on purchasing satisfaction, but did not any effect on repurchase intention. In other words, service quality factors that make positive effects on customer's pleasant using and repurchase intention make a positive effect on repurchase intention when providing and using the service customer wants faithfully rather than external part of the site and mutually influencing attitude or behavior well. The implications suggested by this study are as follows. First, service quality of mobile shopping mall makes a significant effect on repurchase intention, so it's necessary to improve CS service system so as to treat customers' inquiries or inconveniences actively during mobile shopping and return and refund of defective products quickly and conveniently. And, in addition to the finally used factors in analysis process, benefits using customers' grade by number of purchases, such as various events, coupons, reserve, etc. and active contents marketing strategies providing more various pleasures and values of shopping are necessary. Second, satisfaction of mobile shopping mall makes a positive effect on repurchase intention, so visiting of site and repurchasing of product are continuously done as customers' satisfaction on shopping mall is increasing. Therefore, shopping mall site requires differentiation of contents, exact plan and practice of service, marketing, etc. so that customers can feel more satisfaction. This study is significant as it systematically analyzed concepts of components that service quality of mobile shopping mall makes an effect on using easiness, purchasing satisfaction, and repurchase intention, verified the relations, systematized it by theoretical structure, and widened the understanding of effects making an effect on repurchase intention.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.21-39
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• 2018

Today, Mobile Instant Message (MIM) has become a communication means which is commonly used by many people as the technology on smart phones has been enhanced. Among the services, KakaoGame creates much profits continuously by using its representative Kakao platform. However, even though the number of users of KakaoGame increases and the characteristics of the users are more diversified, there are few researches on the relationship between the characteristics of the SNG users and the continuous use of the game. Since the social capital that is formed by the SNG users with the acquaintances create the sense of belonging, its role is being emphasized under the environment of social network. In addition, game user's concerns about the information privacy may decrease the trust on a game APP, and it also caused to threaten about the game system. Therefore, this study was designed to examine the structural relationships among SNG users' social capital, concerns about the information privacy, flow, SNG reuse intention and recommendation intention. The results from this study are as follow. First of all, the participants' bridging social capital had a positive effect on the flow of an SNG, but the bonding social capital had a negative effect on the flow of an SNG. In addition, awareness of information privacy concern had a negative effects on the flow of an SNG, but control of information privacy concern had a positive effect on the flow of an SNG. Lastly, the flow of an SNG had a positive effect on the reuse intention and recommendation intention of an SNG. Also, reuse intention of an SNG had a positive effect on the recommendation intention. Based on the results from this study, academic and practical implications can be drawn. First, This study focused on KakaoTalk which has both of the closed and open characteristics of an SNS and it was found that the SNG user's social capital might be a factor influencing each user's behaviors through the user's flow experiences in SNG. Second, this study extends the scope of prior researches by empirically analysing the relationship between the concerns about the SNG user's information privacy and flow of an SNG. Finally, the results of this research can provide practical guidelines to develop effective marketing strategies considering them for SNG companies.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.195-217
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• 2018

Inaction inertia effect refers to the phenomenon wherein people who missed attractive opportunities in the past do not take any action when they are given the opportunity to receive discounts (sale). The main objective of this study was to find out how such inaction inertia effect influenced the expected regret from the action, expected regret from inaction, and purchase intention depending on the two types of consumption purposes-for pleasure and for practical use. As the personal disposition of each consumer differs from one another, it was expected that habitual purchase behavior and maximization behavior would influence the inaction inertia. An experiment was thus conducted by using a scenario to satisfy the objective of this study. Results showed that in the case of consumers whose consumption purpose was for pleasure, those who habitually purchased the same brand showed a higher level of expected regret from the action and expected regret from inaction. In the case of maximization behavior, no differences were found in the expected regret from the action between practical consumption purpose and pleasurable consumption purpose. On the other hand, differences were found in the level of expected regret from inaction, which is the case wherein consumers who missed their first opportunity to receive discounts (sale) did not make any purchase on their second opportunity for discounts (sale). Thus, inaction inertia was shown in accordance with habitual purchase behavior in the case of consumption purpose for pleasure, but it was not clearly shown in the case of consumption for practical use. This is because there is a relatively low level of justification on consumption, in the case of consumption for practical use. On the other hand, it was found that consumers with maximization behavior felt a stronger sense of regret in the case of their expected regret for inaction in consumption for practical use than in consumption for pleasure. Also, with regard to purchase intention, it turned out that only consumers with pleasurable consumption purpose had purchase intentions. Through these study results, it would be necessary to consider the consumption purpose behind the purchase of products or services, with regard to inaction inertia, depending on personal dispositions. In accordance with these study results, several theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

• Journal of Venture Innovation
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.49-66
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• 2022

This study intends to examine how the perception of covid-19 risk affects consumers' consumption behavior based on previous studies in a situation where the spread of covid-19 is prolonged. This study demonstrates how consumers' perception of covid-19 risk affects online and offline consumption behavior through the perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, coping effectiveness, and self-efficacy of the revised protective motivation theory (Rogers, 1983). We want to test it through analysis. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, consumers living in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province who have purchased within the past 3 months were selected as a sample. In addition, variable data such as risk perception of covid-19, perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, coping effectiveness, self-efficacy, online purchase attitude and purchase intention, offline purchase attitude and purchase intention were collected through the questionnaire.A total of 363 copies of valid responses were tested to test the hypothesis of the relationship between variables through the covariance structure model. The analysis results of this study were first, that covid-19 risk perception had a significant positive (+) effect on perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, and coping effectiveness. Second, perceived severity and perceived vulnerability were found to have a significant positive (+) effect on offline purchasing attitude. Third, perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, coping plan effectiveness, and self-efficacy were all found to have significant positive (+) effects on online purchase attitude. Finally, it was found that offline purchase attitude and online purchase attitude had a significant positive (+) effect on offline purchase intention and online purchase intention, respectively. Also, it was found that online purchase attitude had a negative (-) effect on offline purchase intention. The results of this analysis will provide meaningful implications for the establishment of strategies for distribution channels according to the social risk of infectious diseases.

• Journal of Venture Innovation
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.99-111
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• 2023

This study aims to confirm that consumers' satisfaction with online shopping websites has changed to a phenomenon different from the past. In other words, in a situation where the use of e-commerce is expanding worldwide after the pandemic and various types of commerce such as mobile commerce and social commerce are formed, the consumer's information processing and decision-making process are meaningful in examining the behavior that has been changed based on the perceived motivation level of consumers by the new environment according to the consumption value and personal characteristics perceived by the consumer. In other words, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of consumption value and need for cognition on the satisfaction toward online websites as a mediating role in the trust of the website. As a result of testing Hypothesis 1, not only the hedonic value of the consumer for the website but also the utilitarian value had a positive influence on the satisfaction toward the website, and in particular, the utilitarian value showed a relatively greater influence than the hedonic value. However, the negative relationship between the need for cognition and satisfaction was found to be at a significant level under one-sided verification. In Hypothesis 2, only the utilitarian value among the consumption values of 2-1 showed a positive effect on satisfaction through a mediating role of trust. It was confirmed that the utilitarian value among the consumption values was an important factor in the satisfaction toward the website. The significance of this study is that, unlike previous research results, not only consumption value based on senses and emotions but also utilitarian value has a greater influence. Therefore, utilitarian value and need for cognition have a stronger influence on satisfaction if they play a mediating role based on the trust of the website used by consumers. These findings reflect the current market trend of online consumption, and they are helpful in the management and strategy of online websites based on consumer behavior understanding and major factors.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.78-86
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• 2024

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the specialty hospital system by comparing the medical use of inpatients who had artificial joint replacement surgery in specialty hospitals and non-specialty hospitals. Methods: This study utilized 2021-2022 healthcare benefit claims data provided by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The dependent variable is inpatient medical use which is measured in terms of charges per case and length of stay. The independent variable was whether the hospital was designated as a specialty hospital, and the control variables were patient-level variables (age, gender, insurer type, surgery type, and Charlson comorbidity index) and medical institution-level variables (establishment type, classification, location, number of orthopedic surgeons, and number of nurses). Results: The results of the multiple regression analysis between charges per case and whether a hospital is designated as a specialty hospital showed a statistically significant negative relationship between charges per case and whether a hospital is designated as a specialty hospital. This suggests a significant low in charges per case when a hospital is designated as a specialty hospital compared to a non-specialty hospital, indicating that there is a difference in medical use outcomes between specialty hospitals and non-specialty hospitals inpatients. Conclusion: The practical implications of this study are as follows. First, the criteria for designating specialty hospitals should be alleviated. In our study, the results show that specialty hospitals have significantly lower per-case costs than non-specialty hospitals. Despite the cost-effectiveness of specialty hospitals, the high barriers to be designated for specialty hospitals have gathered the specialty hospitals in metropolitan and major cities. To address the regional imbalance of specialty hospitals, it is believed that ease the criteria for designating specialty hospitals in non-metropolitan areas, such as introducing "semi-specialty hospitals (tentative name)," will lead to a reduction in health disparities between regions and reduce medical costs. Second, it is necessary to determine the appropriateness of the size of hospitals' medical staff. The study found that the number of orthopedic surgeons and nurses varied in charges per case. Therefore, it is believed that appropriately allocating hospital medical staff can maximize the cost-effectiveness of medical services and ultimately reduce medical costs.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2024

Background: Korea's population of children and adolescents has decreased by 2.88 million over the past decade and is expected to decline further due to the unprecedented low birth rate. In the fee-for-service compensation system, the decline in the pediatric population relates directly to the profit decrease in the pediatric clinics. This study analyzed whether the worsening profits of pediatric clinics impacted their closure. Methods: We built annual data for pediatric and other department clinics (internal medicine, otolaryngology, and family medicine) using the status of medical institute and health insurance claims data from 2012 to 2022. Then, we analyzed whether institutional variables such as annual profit and regional variables (Herfindahl-Hirschman index, the number of clinics per 100,000, etc.) affected the closure of clinics. The methods used in this study are descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis. Odds ratios for each variable were estimated by generalized estimating equations (GEE). Results: The closure rate of pediatric clinics was 2.66%-7.04% in 2012-2022, which was consistently higher than those of internal medicine, otolaryngology, and family medicine clinics. The profit gap per institution between the pediatric and the other clinics grew from 126 million won in 2012 to 245 million won in 2019. In the GEE analysis, profit decrease compared to the previous year with lower profit was the main factor that increased the closure of pediatric and other department clinics. After adjusting profit-related variables, the decrease in the pediatric population itself did not relate to the closure of pediatric clinics. The number of pediatric clinics or monopolies also did not affect the closure of pediatric clinics. Conclusion: The worsening profit is the crucial factor for the closure of pediatric clinics, while the pediatric population is decreasing. For this reason, it is necessary to actively seek ways to maintain a stable treatment system for children and adolescents.

• 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.