• Journal of The Korean Digital Architecture Interior Association
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.109-117
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to present our elderly welfare policy and welfare facilities for the elderly and to propose the future direction of policy for the elderly with comparison to that of Japan. The comparative study results of Korea and Japan are as follows: As the basis of elderly welfare, care insurance for the elderly is now fixated in the two countries. On the other hand, for quantitative expansion in Korea, the quality level has been gone down. Due to qualitative evaluation, the growth of facilities has slowed and material welfare providers was also a decline in the number of operators. Two countries in the field of community welfare in recent years has been actively promoting. It is the most important to solve the social welfare problem with local councils who know the area, which is a part of the future to focus and to support. Due to huge construction investment of facility, there is the burden of operators. This facility is appropriate for an extension of the home. However, it is in the hard economic times. Until now, the number of people in a room is at least four according to the legal standard of Korea, there are a few private rooms. On the other hand, in Japan, unit-care was phased since 2002 and private rooms have been expanded. In Japan, health center for the elderly plays an important role with special elderly nursing home among facilities for the elderly. Health center provides services that are recovering, nursing, and caring to support independence for the elderly after acute phase of treatment. As treatment and care, the aim of health center is to return the elderly to home. On the other hand, there are a few health centers for returning the elderly to home in Korea. Furthermore, in Japan, a project for preventive care has been begun. The project is needed in Korea.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.407-419
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to investigate the recognition on the national health insurance and the actual condition of denture among the elderly in Seoul city. This survey was performed on 710 of the elderly aged over 60 years and visited the senior welfare centers. The recognition of the elderly on the national health insurance of denture was 61.7%, but there was a low recognition on the details. The elderly had started using dentures from 66.24 years old. The average used period of the past denture was 7.09 years. In conclusions, the provider is required to promote the insurance coverage of denture to increase the coefficient of utilization of the elderly. Also, further studies for the extending coverage of the details are needed.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.148-160
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• 2005

Presented here are policy alternatives for understanding home health care for the long-term health care insurance system which is being developed for elderly people starting 2007. The summary of issues concerning home health nursing care under the long-term care insurance system include; 1) absence of comprehensive and systematic policy in home health care deliverly systems; 2) absence of community based home health agencies that are considered as the community residents in general. In order to overcome these problems and Issues, policy alternatives of home health care should 1) establish a comprehensive home health care policy for homebound persons; 2) establish the foundations for home health care nurses and community based home health care systems; 3) establish home health care facilities and infrastructure; and 4) promote research and development concerning home health care. Conclusively, a home health care system should be built on a comprehensive policy vision based on health policy, especially long-term care insurance system in the near future. Every homebound residents service has to be constructed systematically under suitable facilities considering the consumer characteristics and health conditions. By doing this, the consumer based comprehensive community home health care delivery system can be constructed in view of the long-term health care insurance system for elderly people.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.502-511
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influencing factors of influenza vaccination in the elderly participating in lifetime transitional health examination. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of data collected from lifetime transitional health examination (for 66-year-old people) conducted by the National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC) from January 1 to December 31, 2008. Questionnaires were received from NHIC to obtain information regarding gender, chronic diseases, health-related behaviors, and ADL. A total of 255,333 participants who responded all the questions in the questionnaire were included in the analysis. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$ test, and multiple logistic regression. Results: The influenza vaccine coverage rate in 66-year-old people was 66.1%. The influenza vaccine coverage rate was higher in female elders and those with hypertension, diabetes, heart disease or past smoking, and lower in those with stroke, current smoking, drinking, no-exercise or ADL-dependency. Conclusion: Strategies for improving the influenza vaccination coverage rate in the elderly are needed. The strategies should give priority to the elderly with current smoking, drinking, and no-exercise, and home visiting programs are needed for the elderly with stroke and ADL-dependency.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1-22
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• 2008

Burden of disease analysis provides a unique perspective on health by integrating fatal and non-fatal outcomes, yet allows the outcome of two classes to be examined separately. Although many studies have shown the inequality in health outcomes across socioeconomic status (SES), an analysis and comparison of Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY) between different socioeconomic groups has been rare. This paper calculates the DALY and analyzes the distribution of DALYs for different SES. This study draws from 3,278 cases from the survey on "The Livelihood and Welfare Needs of the Elderly (2004)". It first provides a comprehensive assessment of the burden of 10 chronic diseases of the elderly based on DALY. Then this paper analyzes inequalities in the burden of disease by the levels of SES such as education, income, family size, occupation, and subjective economic conditions. For the elderly, the burden of disease is the highest for hypertension, arthritis and cancer. DALY rate per 1,000 people for the most socio-economically disadvantaged group is expressed as a multiple of the standardized rate for the least disadvantaged group (Rate Ratios). Family size is strongly related to. the difference in the burden of disease between SES groups, and the elderly Who live alone have higher DALY rate than those who live with their family. Other significant variables related to SES groups include subjective economic conditions, occupation, elderly income, and household income.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.28-37
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• 2015

Objectives: Among the Korean elderly (those 65 years of age and older), the suicide rate is 80.3/100 000 people, which is ten times higher than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average. Because South Korea is rapidly becoming an aging population, this high elderly suicidal rate will only get worse. Although the size of the elderly suicide problem is quite large, previous research in South Korea has surveyed restricted areas and not the entire country. Even though the factors that affect elderly suicide are complicated, there has been little research into these influencing factors. Thus, this research uses the national survey data (Community Health Survey) that was obtained in 2009. Additionally, we analyze factors affecting elderly suicidal ideation and attempts as well as the paths of these effects. Methods: Community Health Survey data obtained by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2009 was used for this study. We additionally examined the factors that affect suicide with chi-squared tests, t-tests, Pearson's correlation test, and path analysis. Results: Depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation are the only factors that directly affect suicidal attempts. Demographic, behavioral, and physical activity factors have indirect effects on suicidal attempts. Conclusions: Depression has the strongest influence on suicidal ideation and attempts. Demographic, behavioral, and physical activity factors affect suicidal attempts mostly through depressive symptoms. In addition, there is a path that suggests that demographic, behavioral, and physical activity factors affect suicidal attempts not through depression symptoms but only through suicidal ideation. This means that the elderly who do not have depression symptoms attempt suicide according to their own situations and characteristics.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.531-543
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• 2021

Background: Population aging is a serious problem in Korea. And we have experienced a rapid increase in the health expenditures of the elderly. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of having a usual source of care (USC) for the elderly. Methods: This study used the Korea Health Panel Survey data of 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The sample was the person who answered the USC questions among the elderly. The panel logit model was used to analyze the determinants of having USC and the panel simultaneous equation model was used to analyze the effect of having USC among the elderly on the medical expenses, medical utilization, and subjective health status. Results: The estimation result shows that age, income, marriage, and so forth turn out to be the factors of having USC. Having the clinic level USC is estimated to reduce the health care utilization and the health expenditure and to improve the subjective health status. Conclusion: It is expected that the result of our analysis will provide evidence for encouraging having USC.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.275-282
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• 2009

Objectives : This study aimed to verify the association between wealth or income level and health status after adjusting for other socio-economic position (SEP) indicators among Korean adults aged 45 and over. Methods : Data were obtained from the 1st wave of Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (households: 6,171, persons: 10,254). We used self-rated health status and activities of daily living (ADLs) as dependent variables. Explanatory variables included both net wealth measured by savings, immovables, the other valuated assets and total income including pay, transfer, property and so on. Binary logistic regression was conducted to examine the relationships. Also, in order to determine the relative health inequality across economic groups, we estimated the relative index of inequality (RII). Results : The inequality of health status was evident among various wealth and income groups. The wealthiest group (5th quintile) was much healthier than the poorest group, and this differential increased with age. Likewise, higher income was associated with better health status among the elderly. However, these effects, as measured by the odds ratio and RII, showed that wealth was more important in determining health status of elderly people. Conclusions : This study suggests that economic capability plays a significant role in determining the health status and other health-related problems among the elderly. Particularly, our results show that health status of the aged is related more closely to the individual s wealth than income.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.172-178
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• 2010

Purpose: We examined the relationship between the health-related issues of elderly women and bone density and identified specific factors that affect the prevalence of osteoporosis to provide basic data for developing a health care program on osteoporosis prevention. Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis of 118,903 66-yr-old women who received a health examination conducted by the National Health Insurance Corporation in 2008. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors affecting the prevalence of osteoporosis. Results: The prevalence of osteoporosis was 46.8%, whereas the prevalence of osteopenia was 38.4% among elderly women in this study. Statistically significant differences were observed between the osteoporosis and non-osteoporosis group in terms of smoking (p<.001), exercise (p<.001), obesity (p<.001), waist circumference (p<.001), depression (p<.001), falling experience (p<.05), and the cognitive function risk (p<.05). Based on the multiple logistic regression results, the risk for osteoporosis was high in those who were under-weight, smoked, or were depressed. In contrast, moderate or high level obesity showed a negative relationship with osteoporosis. Conclusion: The prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis was 85.2%. Therefore, there is a need to develop health care programs pertaining to osteoporosis intervention and prevention for elderly women. Because smoking, non-exercise, and obesity are main osteoporosis risk factors, it is highly recommended that some sound practical life programs and psychological support programs be considered for this population.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.479-488
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• 2023

Background: By applying the suggested criteria for needs-based chronic medical care and long-term care delivery system for the elderly, the current status of delivery system was identified and regional delivery systems were categorized according to quantity and quality of delivery system. Methods: National claims data were used for this study. All claims data of medical and long-term care uses by the elderly and all claims data from long-term care hospitals and nursing homes in 2016 were analyzed to categorize the regional medical and long-term care delivery system. The current status of the delivery system with a high possibility of transition to a needs-based appropriate delivery system was identified. The necessary and actual amount of regional supply was calculated based on their needs, and the structure of delivery systems was evaluated in terms of the needs-based quality of the system. Finally, all regions were categorized into 15 types of medical and care delivery systems for the elderly. Results: Of the total 55 regions, 89.1% of regions had an oversupply of elderly medical and care services compared to the necessary supply based on their needs. However, 69.1% of regions met the criteria for less than two types of needs groups, and 21.8% of regions were identified as regions where the numbers of institutions or regions with a high possibility of transition to an appropriate delivery system were below the average levels for all four needs groups. Conclusion: In order to establish an appropriate community-based integrated elderly care system, it is necessary to analyze the characteristics of the regional delivery system categories and to plan a needs-based delivery system regionally.