• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.496-501
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• 2019

Background: In this study, wage status and wage determinants of care workers were analyzed. Methods: The analysis used database (DB) of long-term care institutions, DB of long-term care institutions, DB of long-term care workers, DB of health insurance qualification, and contribution possessed by National Health Insurance Services. We analyzed the wage status of the care workers from 2009 to 2016 through basic analysis and estimated the factors affecting the wage of the long-term care facilities' care workers using pooled ordinary least squares. Results: The monthly average wage of care workers was raised from Korean won (KRW) 1.37 million in 2009 to KRW 1.52 million in 2016, and the working hours were shortened by 20 hours from 207 hours to 187 hours. Hourly wages increased by KRW 1,329 from KRW 6,831 in 2009 to KRW 8,160 in 2016. The average monthly wage of care workers was affected by gender, age, years of employment, monthly working hours, establishment type, city size, institutional size, the grade of the institution, and management status. In particular, the wage level of the care workers was high when the larger the size of the institution, the better the management status (fill rate), the establishment type is "government and local government" and "corporation," the institutional rating is high, and the facility manager has the first grade of the social worker license. Conclusion: The government should consider aggressive policies to improve the treatment of care workers as well as the quality of long-term care services so that there will be more long-term care facilities that are guaranteed social publicity above a certain level.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.347-352
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• 2020

Background: Low self-esteem can be an issue among health-care workers due to the hierarchical medical system. Health-care workers are also in a high pressure environment that can lead to stress and burnout. This study was conducted to estimate the proportion of health-care workers with low self-esteem, high stress, and burnout and the factors associated with these in a private hospital in Bangalore city. Methods: This cross-sectional study included a random sample of health-care workers of various cadres - doctors, nurses, nursing aides, technicians, and workers in ancillary departments such as laundry, dietary, central sterile supply department, and pharmacy, with probability proportional to size. Rosenberg Scale for Self-esteem, Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale, and Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure were used as study tools. Results: Among the 306 health-care workers, there were high levels of low self-esteem (48.4%), stress (38.6%), and burnout (48.7%), with the lowest levels being among doctors. Those aged younger than 30 years had significantly lower self-esteem and greater stress. Conclusions: Health-care workers with low self-esteem were nearly thrice more likely to suffer high stress, Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.84 (1.36-5.92), and those who were stressed had more than three times higher chance of experiencing burnout, OR = 3.6 (2.02-6.55). Path analysis showed that low self-esteem among health-care workers had a direct effect on burnout, as well as an indirect effect through stress (mediator variable). This study indicates the need for screening and counseling for low self-esteem, stress, and burnout as part of a periodic medical examination of all cadres of health workers.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.163-174
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of job stress, depression and fatigue on sleep quality of care workers employed in long-term care facilities. Methods: The participants were 213 care workers who worked in 11 long-term care facilities. The collected data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression with using the SPSS 23.0 program. Results: We found that patient-related job stress was the greatest stressor among care workers' job stresses. A significant difference in sleep quality was observed according to the self-perceived health status of the care workers. The care workers' sleep quality was negatively correlated with job stress (r=-.16, p=.018), depression (r=-.31, p<.001) and fatigue (r=-.29, p<.001). The influencing factors of sleep quality were depression (${\beta}=-0.22$, p=.001) and fatigue (${\beta}=-0.15$, p=.047). Conclusion: It is necessary to improve the health status and sleep quality of care workers by developing and applying health promotion programs to reduce the depression and fatigue of the care worker. This will ultimately improve the quality of service care for the patients.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.92-99
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• 2020

Background: The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of the income support allowance policy for the care workers on wage level. Methods: The analysis data was constructed using database (DB) of long-term care institution, DB of long-term care personnel status, and DB of health insurance qualification and contribution possessed by National Health Insurance Services. We analyzed the wage status of care workers 2009 to 2016 through basic analysis. We used the difference-in-difference analysis method for the workers who worked in the same institution from 2012 to 2013, The effects of the income allowance policy on wage increase were analyzed. Results: As a result of the net effect of the income support allowance policy, the monthly average wage of the care worker increased by 25,676 won and the hourly wage increased by 478 won. As a result of the analysis, it can be confirmed that the income support allowance policy has achieved some of the goals of raising the wage level of the care workers, and the effect of raising wages for other occupations in the long-term care business can be confirmed. Conclusion: The low wage problem of long-term care workers such as care workers is not the only problem in Korea. In other countries, there are various wage support policies for employees. In particular, it is necessary to refer to the improvement in the treatment of care workers in Japan and wage pass-through in the United States. In addition to wages, there is a need to promote policies to provide employment motivation through efforts to improve their social status and improve their job status and career development for employees in long-term care facilities.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.245-251
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the oral health awareness and oral health care provided by workers in the long-term elderly care facilities. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 213 workers in long-term elderly care facilities. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics, oral health awareness, oral health behavior, oral health knowledge, oral health care professionals, oral health care, oral health care improvement, and denture care. Except the incomplete answers, 200 data were analyzed by the statistical software of SPSS WIN 18.0. Results: Highly educated people tended to have higher oral health awareness. The workers in the facility maintained the oral health care but they suggested that dental professionals are needed. Conclusions: It is necessary to suggest the oral health care management by dental professionals.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the interactions of single mothers with health care workers during their transition to motherhood. Method: This qualitative study conducted focus group interviews with 16 single mothers who were identified at four facilities for single mothers and provided written informed consent. from Junre to October 2017. Each focus group session was recorded and transcribed verbatim. Result: Four categories emerged from the data: "trapped behind a will of eyes," "oil on water," "standing naked in a public square," and "Support from being called a mother." Conclusion: The study results showed that health care workers should provide health care service to single mothers with thorough consideration and care. The findings suggest that appropriate education is necessary for health care workers and prospective health care workers who provide maternal and neonatal care to improve the medical services that they provide to single mothers.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 2020

Purpose: To identify the relationship between care worker's awareness of human rights and the compliance of caring behaviors among long-term care workers, and to identify factors affecting compliance with caring behaviors. Methods: Using self-report questionnaires, data were collected from 153 long-term care workers between October 4th and October 20th, 2019. Collected data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 26.0 program. Results: The data indicate a difference in awareness of human rights according to: the careers of care workers, the possession of other health care-related licenses, and the perceived needs of human rights education. The data also indicate a difference in the compliance of caring behaviors according to: gender, family care experience, and dementia care experience. The factors influencing compliance of caring behaviors, according to the study, are gender (β=.19, p=.009), family care experience (β=.19, p=.023), and human rights (β=.38, p<.001). It was found that 23% could explain the compliance of caring behaviors. Conclusion: Long term care workers were found to have a higher level of the compliance of caring behaviors as their awareness of human rights increased. In order to increase the compliance of caring behaviors among long-term care workers, more educational programs on human rights should be provided.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.601-614
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the present conditions and problems of oral health care in senior citizens with dementia using a qualitative research method, through focused group interviews. Methods: Data was collected for approximately one month from May 2019. The subjects were divided into two groups: care workers and family caregivers. Fifteen participants were included in the study. Results: In-depth interviews with the care workers revealed the following three categories: characteristics of senile dementia patients, oral health care in senile dementia patients, and oral health care education. In-depth interviews with the family caregivers revealed the following four categories: characteristics of senile dementia patients, oral health care in senile dementia patients, oral health care education, and burden of care. The central themes common to both the care workers and family caregivers were the challenges owing to the characteristics of senile dementia patients, poor health condition of the senile dementia patients, difficulty in oral health care of the senile dementia patients, the desire to receive oral health care education and related information, and to access the information more easily. Additional central themes specific to the care workers were, the applicability of the intervention programs, variability between the facilities, and the problems of oral health care education. An additional central theme specific to the family caregivers was the burden of care. Conclusions: It is necessary to provide oral health care education and information to care workers and family caregivers of senile dementia patients, and to manage and support the dental health professionals ready to care for senile dementia patients. In addition, support to the family caregivers should not be limited only to the financial aspects, but also consider the psychological and emotional difficulties.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.173-184
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• 2016

Objectives : This research analyzed the general characteristics of care workers and verified the correlation among self-perceived health, job stress and customer orientation. Methods : We conducted a survey from May 1st, to May 31st, 2015 of 260 care workers who are affiliated with elderly care facilities or home care facilities in Busan, Korea. Results : The more the workers were stressed about their organizational culture, the more they recognized psychological difficulties. However, there was no correlation between organizational culture and their tendency to be oriented toward customers. It was verified that the recognized psychological health has a positive regulation effect between customer orientation and job stress such as job skill requirement(p<0.01), job autonomy(p<0.01), and organizational culture(p<0.01). Conclusions : Because both suppliers and recipients of care services are aging, it is necessary for elderly care facilities to make a greater effort to minimize the physical and psychological losses of recipients.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.58-66
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• 2007

Purpose: A national long-term care system for elderly and the disabled has its unique evolution in each country. Japan, Germany and the United States may be the typical examples of respective social insurance system. This paper reviews the counterpart examples of Japan, Germany and the United States and looks at their accumulated long-term care system experiences and personal care system under workers' compensation. Methods: Literature review and website searching were conducted. Key words as 'workers' compensation insurance', 'personal care benefit' and 'long term care' were used in searching the related literatures. Results: Though the personal care benefit under current Workers'Compensation in Korea is very similar to Japan's, the long-term care system of Korea is not as well established. Germany and the United States have the provision of personal care benefit for injured workers within long term care system. Conclusions: We recommend some key issues to take into account for improving personal care benefit system in workers' compensation in Korea as follows: providing a comprehensive coverage through the linkage of long term care, introducing an assessment & evaluation system for the appropriate benefits, establishing insurer's role for quality management of personal care service, and developing a policy for family caregivers.