• Asian Spine Journal
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.1085-1091
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• 2018

Study Design: Case-control. Purpose: To determine optimal cut-off value for body mass index (BMI) in predicting surgical success in patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS). Overview of Literature: BMI is an essential variable in the assessment of patients with LSCS. Methods: We conducted a prospective study with obese and non-obese LSCS surgical patients and analyzed data on age, sex, duration of symptoms, walking distance, morphologic grade of stenosis, BMI, postoperative complications, and functional disability. Obesity was defined as BMI of ${\geq}30kg/m^2$. Patients completed the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) questionnaire before surgery and 2 years after surgery. Surgical success was defined as ${\geq}30%$ improvement from the baseline ODI score. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to estimate the optimal cut-off values of BMI to predict surgical success. In addition, correlation was assessed between BMI and stenosis grade based on morphology as defined by Schizas and colleague in total, 189 patients were eligible to enter the study. Results: Mean age of patients was $61.5{\pm}9.6years$. Mean follow-up was $36{\pm}12months$. Most patients (88.4%) were classified with grades C (severe stenosis) and D (extreme stenosis). Post-surgical success was 85.7% at the 2-year follow-up. A weak correlation was observed between morphologic grade of stenosis and BMI. Rates of postoperative complications were similar between patients who were obese and those who were non-obese. Both cohorts had similar degree of improvement in the ODI at the 2-year followup. However, patients who were non-obese presented significantly higher surgical success than those who were obese. In ROC curve analysis, a cut-off value of ${\leq}29.1kg/m^2$ for BMI in patients with LSCS was suggestive of surgical success, with 81.1% sensitivity and 82.2% specificity (area under the curve, 0.857; 95% confidence interval, 0.788-0.927). Conclusion: This study showed that the BMI can be considered a parameter for predicting surgical success in patients with LSCS and can be useful in clinical practice.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.84-88
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• 2019

Malocclusion occurs more frequently in Special Health Care Needed (SHCN) patients than those in general. As caregiver's needs for orthodontic treatment tend to increase, the dentist should know how to decide the extent of treatment. This case report is about orthodontic treatment for two SHCN patients; one patient with cerebral palsy, and another patient with autism. A 10-year-old patient with cerebral palsy showed protrusion and rotation of maxillary anterior teeth. To resolve his chief complaints and make better oral hygiene, he underwent orthodontic treatment using micro tube appliances for 6 months. Another 11-year-old patient with autism had anterior crossbite and showed space deficiency of #13 and chronic gingivitis because of poor oral hygiene. She underwent orthodontic treatment with maxillary skeletal expander, facemask and AP expansion appliance. After 18 months we found positive overjet and ended the treatment. When giving SHCNs orthodontic treatment, the extent of treatment can be chosen according to the patient's cooperative ability and the traits of disabilities. Before initiating orthodontic treatment, the caregivers should be aware of their limitations of the treatment. Since oral hygiene is crucial factor in every dental treatment, education of oral hygiene process for the caregivers and SHCN patient must be done before the orthodontic treatment.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.223-246
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• 2021

Based on the Everyday Information Seeking Behavior Theory, this study investigates information activities and library experience of 66 elderly or people with disabilities in Autonomous District A. In addition, this study analyzes contextual circumstances of daily information activities through in-depth interviews with a subset of 11 people. Although community welfare centers provide basic welfare, the elderly and people with disabilities seek to learn and socialize in cultural welfare centers, particularly in libraries. This study shows that libraries can fulfill their top three of Maslow's hierarchy of needs: Self-Actualization, Esteem, and Love and Belonging. Specifically, digital literacy education has been identified to be highly demanded. They seek to distinguish correct online information and to socialize using digital technologies in this contactless society. This study proposes a detailed plan for public libraries to offer cultural and information welfare in order to reduce the information gap within the local communities.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.213-220
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the characteristics of using new words, ability to use new words, and peer popularity among students with mild intellectual disabilities and general students of the age-matched group. A total of 8 students, 4 students with mild intellectual disabilities aged 14 to 16 years of age and 4 normal students in the age-matched group, were compared between groups using a nonparametric test. In the case of new words, 60 new words were selected through expert content validity among 301 new words, and then recognition and background information on the 60 new words were collected. As a result of the study, first, there was a significant difference in understanding of new words between the student group with mild intellectual disability and the general student group of the same age. Second, the correlation between the use of new words and the popularity of peers was compared for each group of students with mild intellectual disabilities and a group of general students of the same age as possible. Therefore, when providing vocabulary instruction for students with mild intellectual disabilities, it suggests that it is necessary to teach new vocabulary in order to increase their relationship with their peers and their popularity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1046-1051
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• 2023

Cigarette smoking is one of the major causes of preventable diseases, disability, and death in Korea and worldwide. It has been clearly linked to the most common causes of death among the elderly and contributes to morbidity and disability associated with many chronic illnesses that are common in this age group. The health benefits of smoking cessation for the elderly have been clearly demonstrated. However, few studies have analyzed the relationship between health and smoking by considering the following many factors, especially among disabled people. In this study, we discuss the impacts of many factors on smoking among disabled people. Adults with disabilities are more likely to smoke than their peers. Public health agencies and practitioners should consider what reasonable adjustments may need to be made to policies and interventions to ensure that they are effective for adults with disabilities.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.54
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• pp.149-176
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to examine the degree of community integration of visually impaired people who have the limitation of mobility in comparison with another disabled and to find factors affecting community integration. The data were obtained through telephone interview with visually impaired people. The final sample was consisted of 1,004 respondents. The data were analyzed using statistical techniques such as crosstabulation, t-test, and hierarchical regression. In this study, the factors affecting community integration was divided into four dimensions : the attribution to disability, physical functioning, psychology and social support system. The major findings of this study were as follows: First, the factors affecting community integration of visually impaired people were age, education, economic status, social support, information support and participation of rehabilitation service. Second, the factors affecting community integration of the low vision and the blind are the limitation of daily activities and social support. But the factors affecting community integration of the blind are participation of education for braille and that of the low vision are information support and participation of rehabilitation service. Finally, the person losing eyesight since school age were the more limitation of daily activities than the person losing eyesight in babyhood. The factors affect community integration of the former are social support, information support, participation of education for braille, and rehabilitation service. The current findings suggest that intervention and policy aimed at improving social support system and formal services such as education, rehabilitation services should be considered by rehabilitation professionals and policy makers.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.609-618
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perspectives of science educators on the learning situations of visually impaired students through scientific inquiry in a darkroom. Twenty-four science educators who came to the annual conference of the Korean Association for Science Education volunteered to participate in 'the scientific inquiry in the darkroom' activities. They were encouraged to touch models of 'the molecular structure of ice' and 'the structure of eyes' and to discuss with participants during the activities. Surveys were done before and after darkroom activities, and the discussions during and after the activities were recorded and analyzed. As a result, participants recognized that science education for visually impaired students is both very feasible and necessary. Also, some of them, who have had an experience of teaching blind students and thought that they fully understood the learning situation of the visually impaired, were especially surprised by the fact that they did not actually understand how it was like to be a visually impaired and responded that they were able to more deeply comprehend the learning situation of visually impaired students through these activities. Through this experience, participants also became resolute to try more deeply to understand not only the visually impaired students, but also sighted students with learning disabilities. Based on these results, educational implications of scientific inquiry in the darkroom were discussed.

• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.349-368
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to empirically structure the patterns of baby boomer retirees'consumption and their effects on depression in later life. Using the 5th wave of Korea Retirement and Income Study(KReIS) in 2013, of baby boomers born in 1955 to 1963, we analyzed those who were completely retired(n=420). The Latent Profile Analysis(LPA) classified the empirical patterns of consumption and then a multiple regression analyzed the effect of consumption patterns on depression among these baby boomer retirees. The LPA results showed that the consumption patterns consist of five groups: (1) Basic life-oriented class(26.9%), (2) Balanced consumption class(29.3%), (3) Social life-oriented class(18.3%), (4) Leisure-oriented class(18.5%), and (5) Education-oriented class(7.0%). Baby boomer retirees' depression was associated with their consumption patterns. Specifically, the basic life-oriented class showed significantly lower depression than the education-oriented class. Other correlates such as higher education, having no spouse, lower subjective health, greater limitations in physical functions, having a diagnosed disability, having fewer children, higher dissatisfaction with leisure activities, and lower self-perceived economic status were associated with higher levels of depression in this study. These findings suggest meaningful implications for gerontological policy and practice for baby boomer retirees in Korea. In light of vulnerable retirement preparation, social services specialized for baby boomers should consider financial education for revamping consumption scale beyond asset management and long-term case management of pre and post retirement cases.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.404-412
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• 2012

The main object of this study is to render a better dental education to mental disabilities, teachers, and their parents. By providing a better dental education to them, mental disabilities would understand the importance of their oral hygiene. The study was held in Seoul at two different locations, named H and E mental welfare facilities. Ninety Three mental disabilities were studied by observing their oral behavior, simple oral hygiene index and plaque index prior and post to dental education. At the end of education, following result were gathered from two mental facilities. First, the level of oral behavior in Class 1,2, and 3 mental disabilities were observed prior and post to the dental education. Overall, there was no significant difference among Class 1 mental disabilities with the dental education. Second, in simple oral hygiene index, the severity of mental illness has affected on their oral behavior (F=6.322, p<.001). Third, in simple oral hygiene index, the frequency of dental education, regardless of severity of mental illness has affected on their oral hygiene (F=5.961, p<.01). Fourth, the plaque index also illustrated that the frequency of dental education, regardless of severity of dental illness has affected on their oral hygiene (F=5.126, p<.05). Finally, the general characteristics of mental disabilities according to changes in oral health awareness to gender, age, disability type, educational level do not statistically significant in all variables. Their simple oral hygiene index and plaque index advanced, although after a while they started to lose focus, which brought back their old habits. Nevertheless, in conclusion I believe that helping mental disabilities more frequently to constant reminder, will not only keep them entertained, but help them realize how important oral hygiene practice is, hopefully increasing and benefiting those with mental disabilities for future reference.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.433-444
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• 2018

This study aims to examine the screening rate of health screening of the disabled by screening the data of disability and health statistics of the National Health Insurance Corporation, to suggest the problems of health examination and the future improvement measures, and also to review the type of health management of the disabled based on the results of health examination interview. As people with limited daily life or social life for a long time because of their physical/psychological disabilities in accordance with the Article2 of , out of 2,479,080 registered people with disabilities on the basis of December 31st 2015, the research subjects were limited to people with disabilities who participated in the health screening and health type for presenting the opinions about policies. In conclusion, regarding the health screening for the disabled, first, it would be necessary to collect the opinions from people with disabilities in order to prepare the health screening service suitable for them. Second, it would be needed to develop the health screening items for each type of disability and severity. Third, it would be necessary to consider the medical equipments and amenities of health examination for the disabled. Fourth, there should be the securement of manpower and education for service providers. Fifth, the mobility right of the disabled should be secured. Regarding the health type of the disabled, first, the expert consultative group in each area should be composed for the health enhancement of the disabled. Second, it would be necessary to screening the current status of health enhancement programs for the disabled and operating facilities. Third, the Central Health Medical Center for the Disabled, shown in the law on the securement of health rights & medical accessibility of the disabled should develop the standardized health enhancement programs for each disability type and severity. After examining the contents of health examination and health type of the disabled, the opinions about policies were suggested. Thus, in the future, there should be more detailed researches based on the tasks suggested by this study, and also the causal relations between health of the disabled and relevant programs should be continuously revealed.