• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.404-410
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• 2007

Objectives: Due to the assumptions of homogeneity as well as challenges in the socioeconomic position of the elderly, they have been relatively neglected in studies of health inequalities. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the social inequalities in preventive services among elderly men and women. Methods: Data were obtained from a nationally representative sample of 342 men and 525 women aged 65 and over collected during the 2001 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Age adjusted proportions and logistic regression were used to identify the social patterning of preventive services among elderly Koreans using various social position indicators. Results: The findings of this study generally supported the presence of social gradients in preventive services among the Korean elderly. The likelihood of using the service becomes progressively higher with social position. Educational level, income, and self-rated living status were significantly associated with increased medical checkups and cancer checks. In addition, logistic regression detected educational inequalities only among older women receiving BP checks. After being stratified based on health status and chronic disease status, social disparities still existed when educational level and self-rated living status were considered. Among unhealthy individuals, place of residence was observed as a barrier to medical checkups. Conclusions: This study demonstrated strong and consistent associations between socioeconomic position and preventive services among the elderly in Korea. The results indicate that public health strategies should be developed to reduce the barriers to preventive services encountered by the elderly.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.103-113
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• 2018

Objectives: The study aimed to compare the indicators of infrastructure of the whole country with those of Busan through National Medical Care Psychiatric (hospital level) Quality Assesment and to provide the basic evidence for presenting vision and strategies of mental health policy. Methods: National Medical Care Psychiatric (hospital level) Quality Assesment Data was used from 2011 to 2015. A total of 8 indicators were analyzed including facility and workforce. Results: The median value of the capacity per ward was decreasing with years both whole country and Busan. The number of beds out of total inpatient occupancy was improved over the years. There was no clear change in the number of inpatients per toilet in the hospitalized ward, but the indicator was decreasing obviously. Therefore, the median value of whole country and Busan was same with 10.2 in 2015. Conclusions: We confirmed that indicators for infrastructure were improving in a generally positive change over the years. The infrastructure is related to the patient-centered treatment environment, and the workforce is related to the quality of care. Therefore, the structural area should be continuously evaluated and improved.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.103-131
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• 2012

As divorce and singlehood have been on the rise over the last decades, marital statuses are more diverse than the past for middle-aged men and women in South Korea. While marital status is crucial for health behaviors and statuses, but few studies examine the associations between health differentials and marital status for the middle-aged in South Korea. Using the 2010 Social Survey collected by the Statistics Korea, this study analyzes how health behaviors and statuses vary by the marital status. In particular, this paper examines whether marital statuses and gender interact to influence health behaviors and statuses. I find that married middle-aged people are healthier than divorced, single, and widowed middle-aged people. But this the negative influence of the non-married status are much greater for men than women. Some female non-married groups do not differ from married middle-aged people in some indicators of health behaviors. Single female middle-aged people are better in general satisfaction levels than married middle-aged people.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.306-316
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the operational status and operational problems of health promoting model schools, particularly of the large-sized elementary schools in urban areas. Methods: The study analyzed the data of 14 large-sized elementary schools in urban areas selected from 85 health promoting model schools, an initiative led by the Ministry of Education from 2012 to 2014. Results: The study examined the operation process of health promoting schools in five stages; system development, needs survey & current status survey, school health policy development, program development & execution, and evaluation. In addition, the study discovered three key factors in operating health promoting schools and examined the status of each factor; connection with the curriculum, connection with the community, and consensus among members. Four problems were identified as operational problems: lack of research on faculty health issues, school physical environment and community resources, inadequate presentation of performance indicators, no close coordination in core task development and lack of linkage with the curriculum. Conclusion: It turned out the concept of health promoting school suggested by WHO was relatively faithfully realized in this study. Compared to small-sized elementary schools in rural areas, health promoting schools in this study showed better aspects overall. The connection with the community was good, but the connection with the curriculum was poor.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.11
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• pp.7-15
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• 2018

Purpose - This study surveys factors such as lifestyles, nutritional status, physical indicators, and physical fitness levels that affect the health of seniors over the age of 65 and based on the collected data attempts to create a senior health index model that provides health service information, help support seniors' successful aging, and improve their quality of life. Research design, data, and methodology - This paper conducted the development for senior health index model and the cross validity verification to examine the status of senior health level, and aimed at setting the health status evaluation criteria. Seniors 384 usable data were analyzed. Results - As an attempt to segment the senior health service market, I divided the results of this study based on measurability, accessibility, disparity between groups, and the size of the potential client base. I divided the senior market into five subgroups: very healthy, healthy, normal, weak, and very weak. Conclusions - The findings of this study may prove useful in preparing for the forthcoming super-aged society through segmentation of the senior market, understanding differences between groups with different health conditions, and discovering effective marketing strategies that meet the demands of different senior groups.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2019

Korean society is experiencing a very rapid change in population aging. Oral diseases, including dental caries and periodontal disease, are usually cumulative and make oral health worse with age. Preventing tooth loss through the prevention and treatment of caries and periodontal diseases are essential for retaining oral function later in life. This study aimed to identify the trend in oral health status among elderlies over 65 years old, using major oral health indicators of Health Plan 2020. The fifth, sixth, and seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V, VI, VII) were used in the present study to estimate the number of remaining natural teeth, the rate of 20 or more natural teeth, the rate of chewing difficulty, and the rate of oral health check-up of elderly. The number of remaining natural teeth increased from 15.6 in 2010 to 17.1 in 2015, and the rate of 20 or more natural teeth also increased from 45.8% in 2010 to 53.7% in 2015. The rate of chewing difficulty was similar but declined a little from 44.3% in 2010 to 42.9% in 2017. Finally, the rate of oral health check-ups of the elderly increased significantly from 12.2% in 2010 to 21.1% in 2017.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.512-520
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The 6-23 months for infants is the longest period in the "first 1,000 days" of life. This period is very important for child development, so complementary feeding (CF) practices should be optimized to maximize children's potential for growth and development. The aim of this study was to analyze the CF practices and nutritional status of children aged 6-23 months. SUBJECTS/METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, 392 children aged 6-23 months were selected using stratified random sampling. Socio-demographic data were collected through interviews. CF practices, collected by interviews and repeated 24-hour food recall method, were the timely introduction of CF, minimum meal frequency, dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diet, consumption food rich in proteins and vitamin A. Nutritional status was assessed using the indicators of underweight, wasting and stunting. To analyze the association between socio-demographic indicators and CF with nutritional status, the chi-square test with a confidence interval of 95% was used. RESULTS: Results showed that 39% were exclusively breastfed, only 61% received prolonged breastfeeding and 50% received timely introduction of CF. Minimum meal frequency was met by 74% of subjects, but dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diet were only realized in 50% and 40% of the children, respectively. The prevalence of underweight, wasting, and stunting were 26%, 23%, and 28%, respectively. Age of the child, birth order, birth weight, parents' education level, family size and incidence of fever and diarrhea during the previous two weeks were associated with underweight, while child's birth order, fathers' education level, mother's age, family size, completion of the age-appropriate vaccination and fish consumption frequency were associated with wasting. Age of the child, incidence of fever and acute respiratory infection, and fortified food consumption were associated with stunting. CONCLUSIONS: Suboptimal CF practices and high prevalence of underweight, wasting and stunting were found among children aged 6-23 months old in Aceh. These results highlight the need to improve CF and nutritional status.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.581-588
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of the study si to investigate correlation between metabolic syndrome risk factors and oral health status in workers and to propose the integrated and effective management measures. Methods : Subjects were 4,600 workers in industrial company. Data by medical checkup and oral examination were collected from July 13, 2010 to September 12, 2010. Self-reported questionnaire included general characteristics, job description, smoking, drinking, and metabolic syndrome risk factor indicators. Gingivitis, dental calculus and missing tooth tended to have more metabolic syndrome risk factors. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi-square test, correlation analysis, logistic regression using SPSS version 18.0. Results : Dental caries revealed 1.146 times higher than the control group. Risk group showed the following results; gingivitis was 1.317 times higher in risk group and 1.612 times in metabolic syndrome. Dental calculus was 1.532 times higher in risk group and 1.557 times in metabolic syndrome. Mssing teeth were 1.976 higher in metabolic syndrome. Conclusions : Metabolic syndrome risk factors had close correlation to poor raol health status. It is necessary to establish the effective plan for the oral health in workers.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.1-13
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• 2004

This study conducted descriptive literature review on adolescent smoking and the related factors to realize significance of adolescent smoking onset in Korea and to identify risk factors of smoking incidence. Korean adolescent smoking status was generated based on the cumulated data of the Korean Association of Smoking and Health. Risk factors of adolescent smoking were identified based on 18 studies written in English, with cross-sectional research design and published as a peer-reviewed journal article between 1994 and 2003. The results were as follows. 1. Korean adolescent smoking rate was the highest among OECD affiliated countries; in particular, male adolescent smoking incidence was very serious. 2. Risk factors related to smoking of adolescent population were personal factor, friend factor, family factor, and mass-media factor. Demographic characteristics, attitudes on smoking, and willingness of smoking, and health behaviors were selected as personal factor of smoking. 3. Best friends smoking was a strong factor of students' smoking set. Prevalent popularity of smoking in peer-group allowed students to feel free to smoking. 4. Concerning family factor related to smoking status, parents' smoking and sibling's smoking were significant indicators of adolescent smoking status. 5. Seeing smoking behaviors and scenes through films, TV shows, drama, and advertisement was a significant risk factor of adolescent smoking status.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.431-438
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• 2007

Objectives : The aim of this study is to summarize the current conditions and implications of health inequalities in South Korea. Methods : Through a literature review of empirical studies and supplementary analysis of the data presented in the 1998, 2001, and 2005 KNHANEs, we evaluated the extent and trends of socioeconomic inequalities in both health risk factors, such as smoking, physical activity, and obesity, and outcomes, such as total mortality, subjective poor health status by self-reports and metabolic syndrome. Relative risks and odds ratios were used to measure differences across socioeconomic groups, and the relative index of inequality was used to evaluate the changes in inequalities over time. Results : We found clear inequalities to various degrees?in most health indicators. While little change was observed in mortality differences over time, the socioeconomic gaps in risk factors and morbidity have been widening, with much larger differences among the younger population. Conclusions : Socioeconomic inequalities are pervasive across various health indicators, and some of them are increasing. The trends in socioeconomic inequalities in health should be carefully monitored, and comprehensive measures to alleviate health inequalities are needed, especially for young populations.