• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.11-24
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• 2020

Objective : The Human Rights constitute one of the basic pillars of every work where persons are involved, such is the case of the occupational therapy field. Methods : In this study we investigate the human rights sensitivity and the advocacy activities of occupational therapists. The differences according to their characteristics, the relationship and the impact of the human rights sensitivity are examined and presented. Making use of online surveys 116 subjects participated in the study. Results : The measured average of human right sensitivity is 69.00 ± 17.67 point, being them distributed according to the following subcategories: to the perception of the situation corresponds 23.25±5.62 points, to the perception of the consequences 22.75±6.54 points and for the perception of the responsibility 23±6.54 points. In all the cases have been taken in account the equal rights, the right to education in disables, the right to pursue the happiness of the elderly, the right of the disables to have personal freedom, the privacy rights and the privacy rights for mental illness people. According to the working area the Human Right sensitiveness is higher in Seoul than in the Gyeongsang province meanwhile the advocacy activities is higher in Seoul and in Gyeonggi province than in Gyeongsang province. Depending of the type of service, general hospitals and rehabilitation/nursing hospitals showed higher human rights sensitivity than other service organizations According to the working field, occupational therapy group focused in elderly showed higher Human Right sensitivity than other fields. Professionals belonging groups of clinical experience from 3 to 5 years and from 6 to 10 years showed higher advocacy activities than professionals with more than 11 years of experience. A positive correlation was showed between the human rights sensitivity and the advocacy activities. For this situation, the human rights sensitiveness was divided in sub-categories in perception of the situation, perception of the consequences and perception of the responsibility. As showed by the result of multiple regression analyses the advocacy activities of human would grow up in accordance with the increase of the human rights sensitiveness of responsibility perception. Conclusion : Due to the actual lack of information, the collection and study of basic data is fundamental for the development of practical human rights educational programs and to emphasize the role of the defense of the human rights.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.417-433
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• 2010

Purpose: This study evaluated the manpower planning of dental technicians. Methods: Methods : Survey was conducted regarding subject's general characteristics, characteristics of dental technician's occupational view and working conditions, and reason to enter into branches of the public health enter. The survey sample consisted of 323 dental technicians (221 male/ 102 female). Survey was conducted for one month from August 1 to September 1 in 2010. Following results were obtained. Results: 1. Regarding general characteristics of the subjects, there was a slight male predilection with 68.4%. Subjects in their 40s occupied the highest proportion of 32.2%. Majority of subjects worked in the big cities (71.5%). Favored working places were dental laboratory (57.6%) and dental hospital or dental clinic (19.5%). Although no position is available in the public sector such as public health center or health care civil servant, 9.3% preferred working in the public health center. Public sector is more favored than 2-year technical colleges or dental supply and equipment companies. In respect to education, 57% of the subjects graduated college. 67.8% were married. Subjects who specialize in the porcelain or all-ceramic were 57.9%. With regard to current position, head of the dental laboratory was most common. 2. Following occupation characteristics were found. Economic reason took the highest proportion when deciding their occupation (39.9%) followed by gaining social experience (36.5%). Majority of the subjects (76.5%) wanted to work as dental technicians until their retirement. 71.5% pursuit to become a manager of the dental laboratory. 76.1% agreed on opening a dental technician position in the public health center. Regarding an authority to lead developing the dental technician position in the public sector, majority of the subject chose ministry of health and welfare (35.6%) and Korean dental technologist association (34.7%). Employment (average, 30%) and turnover rate (average, 36.5%) of dental technology college graduates ranged from 40% to 60%. Most important factors for the employment were practical experience (41.2%) and competency (34.4%). With regard to job satisfaction, so-so as 46.7% and satisfactory was 42.7% 3. In respect to the reason for opening a position in the public health center, 'It is needed to continue denture rogram for elderly patients' obtained the highest score (4.14 point). 'Institutional devices are required to open a position for dental technicians as a public healthcare provider' received high score (4.11 point). 4. Concerning the working conditions, 'professional knowledge is required' received the highest score (4.23) followed by 'too short maternity and parental leave' (4.21). 5. Relationship between general characteristics of the subjects and favor of working in the public health center was investigated. Significant differences were found according to the current and favored working area, favored occupation, education level, marital status, and specialty. Working in the public health center was favored by following subjects: working in mid- or small-sized cities (4.16 point, p<0.05); PhD degree-holder (4.59 point, p<0.01). 6. Among general characteristics of the subjects, significant difference of working conditions was found in the following factors: gender; working areas; favored working areas; favored working positions, and education level. Majority of subjects favored working in big cities and currently work in big cities although satisfaction was comparatively low (3.75 score). 7. Future plan to work in public health center was evaluated according to occupational characteristics. Subject's intention to work in the public healthcare center was significantly affected by opening of dental technician position, leading authority, average turnover rate, and factors affecting employment. Working in the public health care center was favored by the following subjects: Dental technicians who actively supported opening of the dental technician position (4.34 point, p<0.001); subjects who thought the Korean dental technologist association is responsible for the opening of positions in the public sector (4.26 point, p<0.001); and subjects who thought that attitude and character are important for the employment (p<0.001). 8. Concerning difference of working conditions according to the occupational characteristics, significant difference was demonstrated by factors such as a reason to choose to be a dental technician, work plan, pursuing position, responsible authority, average employment rate, and job satisfaction. High standard of working conditions was required in subjects who selected to be a dental technician for the leisure time after work (s.05 point, p<0.01), who planted to work until their marriage (4.25 point, p<0.001), and who pursuit to be a manager (3.98, p<0.05). 9. In respect to influence of general characteristics on the advancement to public health centers, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.068 and age affected the working condition with significant difference according to the pvalue. 10. Regarding influence of general characteristics on the advancement to public health centers, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.335 and work plan, opening of dental technician position in the public sector, and responsible authority had significant influence over the subject's intention to work in the public health center according to the p-value. 11. With regard to the influence of general characteristics on the advancement to public health centers, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.091 and reason to choose to be a dental technician, work plan, and responsible authority significantly affected subject's working conditions. Conclusion: Korean society is becoming a super-aged society according to several statistics. As aged population is rapidly increasing, national health insurance plans to cover denture for senior citizen over 75 years old from 2012. Therefore, dental technicians are urgently needed in the public health centers all over the nation. Many subjects in this study planed to work until their retirement and recognized dental technician's expertise. Ministry of health and welfare and Korean dental technologist association should co-operate each other to prepare foundation and institutional devices for dental technicians to advance into the public health center. This will improve oral health of the population. This study showed urgency of medical facilities and services which meets increasing number of aged population and welfare of the population.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.189-200
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• 2016

Purpose: This study analyzed job importance, job performance, and job satisfaction in 38 dietitians working at geriatric hospitals and elderly healthcare facilities in Jeju surveyed from September 15-24, 2014 with the aim of providing basic data for improving the quality of meals and nutrition management for elderly patients. Methods: Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, ${\chi}^2$-test, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficients using the SPSS Win program (version 12.0). Results: Regarding job importance, the average score was 4.29 (out of 5), indicating that hygiene and safety management scored the highest at 4.77 (out of 5), and nutrition management scored the lowest at3.86. In terms of job performance of subjects, the average score was 2.87 (out of 5), indicating that cooking operation management scored the highest at 4.42 (out of 5). Regarding the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) of job importance and job performance, hygiene and safety management and cooking operation management scored high for importance and performance (B quadrant) menu management, human resource management, and nutrition management scored low for importance and performance (C quadrant) and purchasing management and financial management were included inD quadrant and A quadrant, respectively. For the level of job satisfaction of subjects, the average score was 3.37 (out of 5), indicating that relationships with colleagues scored the highest at 3.72, and improving professionalism scored the lowest at 2.95. Additionally, job importance and performance of subjects were positively correlated withjob satisfaction (r = 0.395, r = 0.386, both p < 0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, scores for job importance and job performance of nutrition management were low, and job satisfaction of improving professionalism scored low. Therefore, continuous training and education programs of nutrition management should be provided to improve professionalism of dietitians at geriatric hospitals and elderly healthcare facilities.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.173-182
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• 2023

Background: This study aims to investigate the effect of restrictions on oral health-related activities of young adults, middle-aged, and elderly in Korea on the quality of life and contribute to the development of intervention strategies to improve the quality of life by improving the importance of oral health care and healthy lifestyle habits of adults. Methods: The 8th National Health and Nutrition Survey was used, targeting adults categorized into three age groups: young adults aged 19 to 29, middle-aged adults aged 30 to 49, and prime-aged adults aged 50 to 64. Demographic characteristics and EQ-5D, HINT-8 and oral-related toothache experience, chewing problems, speaking problems, and complaint of discomfort to chew analyzed. T-test and one-way ANOVA were performed to find out the difference in quality of life according to the restrictions on oral activities of adults, and linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the factors affecting the quality of life of adults. Results: The differences between EQ-5D and HINT-8 according to the restrictions on oral health-related activities of young, middle-aged, and prime-aged were statistically significant in all oral activity restriction variables(p ≦0.05). Factors affecting EQ-5D of all adults were statistically significant in all variables such as region, gender, household monthly income, education level, basic living status, economic activity, subjective oral health status, toothache experience, chewing problem, speaking problem, and complaint of discomfort to chew(p ≦0.05). Factors affecting HINT-8 of all adults were statistically significant in variables such as gender, household monthly income, education level, basic living status, economic activity, toothache experience, chewing, speaking, and complaint of discomfort to chew(p ≦0.05). Conclusions: Various measures are needed to improve the quality of life in old age by allowing adults to face physically, mentally, and socially prepared old age. Based on the results of this study, an adult oral health program should be developed to improve the oral health and quality of life of adults.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.22-33
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• 2003

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the present status of patients' satisfaction and the reasons for any satisfaction or dissatisfaction in cancer pain management Methods : A cross-sectional survey was used to obtain the feedback about pain management. The results of the survey were collected from 59 in- or out-patient who had cancer treatment at two of the teaching hospitals in Seoul from July, 2002 to November, 2002. The data was obtained by a structured questionnaire based on the American Cancer Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire(APS-POQ) and other previous research. The clinical information for all patients were compiled by reviewing their medical records. Resuts : 1) The subjects' mean score of the worst pain was 6.77, the average pain score was 3.80, and the pain score after management was 2.93 for the past 24 hours. The mean score of total pain interference was $25.03{\pm}12.82$. Many of the subjects had false beliefs about pain such as 'the experience of pain is a sign that the illness has gotten worse', 'pain medicine should be 'saved' in case the pain gets worse' and 'people get addicted to pain medicine easily'. 2) 66.1% of the subjects were properly medicated with analgesics. 33.9% of the subjects reported use of various methods in controlling pain other than the prescribed medication. Only 33.9% of the subjects had a chance to be educated about pain management by doctors or nurses. 3) The mean score of patients' satisfaction with pain management was $4.19{\pm}1.14$. 72.9% of the subjects answered 'satisfied' with pain management. The reasons for dissatisfaction were 'the pain was not relieved even after the pain management', 'I was not quickly and promptly treated when I complained of pain', 'doctors and nurses didn't pay much attention to my complaints of pain.', and 'there was no appropriate information given on the methods of administration, effect duration and side effects of pain medicine.' The reasons for satisfaction were: 'the pain was relieved after the pain management.', 'doctors and nurses quickly and promptly controlled my pain.', 'doctors and nurses paid enough attention to my complaints of pain.' and 'trust in my physician'. 4) In pain severity or pain interference, no significant difference was found between the satisfied group and dissatisfied group. On the belief 'good patients avoid talking about pain', a significant difference was found between the satisfied group and dissatisfied group. Conclusions : The patients' satisfaction with cancer pain management has increased over the years but still about 30% of patients reported to be 'not satisfied' for various reasons. The results of this study suggest that patients' education should be done to improve satisfaction in the pain management program.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2017

Objectives: Sleep disturbance is a very rapidly growing disease with aging. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sleep disturbances and its predictive factors in a three-year cohort study of people aged 60 years and over in Korea. Methods: In 2012 and 2014, we obtained data from a survey of the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. We asked participants if they had been diagnosed with stroke, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, arthritis, pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, cataract, glaucoma, hepatitis B, urinary incontinence, prostate hypertrophy, cancer, osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, or metabolic syndrome. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination for dementia screening in 2012, and depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in 2012 and 2014. In 2015, a structured clinical interview for Axis I psychiatric disorders was administered to 235 people, and sleep disturbance was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The perceived stress scale and the State-trait Anger Expression Inventory were also administered. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict sleep disturbance by gender, age, education, depression score, number of coexisting diseases in 2012 and 2014, current anger score, and perceived stress score. Results: Twenty-seven percent of the participants had sleep disturbances. Logistic regression analysis showed that the number of medical diseases three years ago, the depression score one year ago, and the current perceived stress significantly predicted sleep disturbances. Conclusion: Comorbid medical disease three years previous and depressive symptoms evaluated one year previous were predictive of current sleep disturbances. Further studies are needed to determine whether treatment of medical disease and depressive symptoms can improve sleep disturbances.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.29-41
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• 2004

Objectives: This study was to identify socioeconomic factors and health-related behaviors influencing on HRQOL(health-related quality of life) for the older adults in rural area. Methods: 483 subjects aged over 65 years responded a direct interview, which covered HRQOL, BMI, socioeconomic characteristics, and health-related behaviors including smoking, drinking, and exercise. Results: Overall, the mean number of healthy days were 15.1 days and not significantly different by sex. Men didn't show a significant difference in HRQOL by age group. But women reported lower levels of healthy days and higher levels of activity limitation and physical unhealthy days with increasing age. Results from ANCOVA showed HRQOL to be significantly associated with education, job, and family type. Men presented no significant difference in HRQOL by health-related behaviors, but women who have been drinking, or have less number of chronic diseases reported higher mean healthy days and lower activity limitation days, physical unhealthy days, and mental unhealthy days. Older adults who reported good to excellent self-rated health were higher healthy days and lower activity limitation, physical unhealthy days, and mental unhealthy days than those who reported fair to poor health status. Conclusions: The HRQOL for the older adults in rural area was related to socioeconomic characteristics, health-related behaviors and self-rated health status. A better understanding of factors related to HRQOL would help to improve the older adults' quality of life.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 2003

Objectives: The oriental medical care has been getting popular in community health centers because of uniqueness, changing of disease patterns, and increasing of elderly population. From 1998, oriental medical doctors has been working in several rural community health centers for their military obligations. At this point of time, it is necessary to evaluate the oriental public health doctors system. This study was performed to investigate the utilization patterns, the degree of satisfactions, needs of oriental medical care service provided by community health center in a designated Gun area. This study focused on the need for extending over Myun area of community health center's oriental medical care services. Methods: Person-to-person interview survey method through a structured questionnaire was done by a personnel at a oriental medical care service room in a Gun community health center. The major statistical method used for the analysis were the t-test, ANOVA, and logistic analysis. Results: The total number of responded subjects in this study was 163 residents. Among these 65.0% were aged 61 or over, and only 13.5% recognized themselves were healthy. 73.7% of the respondents demanded establishment of more oriental medical care services provided by community health center to other Myun area. Factors affecting the need for enlargement of oriental medical care service room were education level, subjective awareness of access to community health center, and cost satisfaction of oriental medical service provided by community health center. Thus, a resident who had graduation of middle school achievement or above(OR=3.35), had a long way to center(OR=2.47), satisfied with oriental medical service cost(OR=2.78) had demonstrated increased chance of need by logistic regression analysis.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2013

Objectives: This study is to investigate the prevalence and related factors of metabolic syndrome among Korean adults aged 20 years and above. Methods: From the database of the $5^{th}$ Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V) conducted in 2010, data of 5,670 adults who responded to all the questionnaires of health interview and had metabolic syndrome in the health examination were included in this analysis. SAS 9.2 was used for statistical analysis with complex sample survey modules and commands. Results: The prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome based on the criteria proposed by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) was 18.8%. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in each group was: 20.7% of women, 43.1% among elderly over 70 years old, 40.6% of the divorced or the separated, 27.6% of recipients of economic support from the government, 23.6% of people who had alcohol dependency problem, and 43.7% of overweight or obese adults. Independent risk factors based on the multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that prevalence of metabolic syndrome was associated with female (odds ratio 1.59 [95% confidence interval 1.20-2.11]), age (50s 3.95 [2.11-7.37], 60s 5.62 [2.98-10.61], 70s 10.56 [5.25-21.25]), high school education (0.52 [0.37-0.74]), clerk occupation (2.14 [1.27-3.60]), divorced marital status (1.72 [1.15-2.59]), alcohol dependency (1.86 [1.16-2.98]), higher BMI (14.08 [10.60-18.70]). Conclusions: The metabolic syndrome is prevalent among Korean adult population according to IDF criteria. Several demographic characteristics and potentially modifiable factors are associated with metabolic syndrome. Identification of this high-risk group and management of these modifiable factors are warranted to reduce the prevalence of metabolic syndrome.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.705-723
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• 2018

In this study we review the selected articles on elderly health and medical care published in the Journal of the Korea Gerontological Society (JKGS) in the last 40 years, and make suggestions for future research directions for gerontological health and medical care issues. Of all the 40 year publications from volume 1 (1980) to 38 (2017), we first examined the 30th anniversary review on the subject of gerontological nursing care and healthcare policies published in JKGS from 1980 (vol. 1, No. 1) to 2008 (vol. 28, No. 2), and reviewed recent 237 researches of this decade (out of all 655 articles from 2008, vol. 28, No. 3 to 2017, vol. 38, No. 4). We could find the following trends. Firstly, the analysis of the primary authors in the past 10 years revealed that those in public health, nursing and other health-related including physical education areas have dealt the subjects focusing on physical health while those in social welfare mostly on mental health. That is, physical health has been the prime subject of researches in the health and medical care area. Secondly, in the same period quantitative researches were accounted for 89.9%, which is similar to the trend of the first 30 years 81.5 %. On the other hand, qualitative studies were only 11 cases and the focus group interview were the most frequently used method comprising 33.3% among them. Thirdly, the non-experimental researches in the past 10 years comprise 65.4%, which was 82.7% in 1980 2008 period, indicating the increasing trend in experimental researches to deal with the issues in medical and healthcare fields. Lastly, the subjects of the researches were mostly the elders who are healthy, residents of city areas, or home dwellers, and 60% of them were over 65 years old in the past 10 years while the proportion was 42.7% in the previous review period. 81.6 % of the researches in the past 10 years was dealing both genders, slightly decreased trend compared to 88.5% of the previous review period. This study reveals that the researches in non-experimental physical health remains the main stream of JKGS despite the efforts by some researchers to diversify the methods and subjects. Systematic and in-depth researches employing multidisciplinary, qualitative, longitudinal and meta-analytical approaches are called for to guide the gerontolgical health issues with preventive and proactive perspectives.