• Health Policy and Management
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.139-156
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• 1999

Recent changes in the health care environment have directed increasing attention to the number and specialty mix of practicing physicians. A major concern identified in Korean health care system is the serious oversupply of specialists and a relative lack of primary care physicians. Currently only 21% of Korean physicians are primary care physicians(general practitioners and family physicians), and less than 10% of recent medical school graduates are choosing to enter primary care. More primary care physicians are needed to deal with major problems in the current health care system, such as cost and access. The infrastructure that relies on primary care physicians is needed to deliver cost-effective and efficient care. To achieve a better balance of primary care to non-primary care physicians. more medical students need to choose careers in one of the primary care specialties(family medicine. internal medicine and pediatrics). This paper suggests the necessity of reforming the Korean graduate medical education system, that is, establishing the path of training primary care physicians in internal medicine and pediatrics residency training programs.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2008

We examined dietary habits, food intakes, health status, and school and community life of meal skipping children, and investigated factors predicting meal skipping of children. A sample was composed of 944 children in low-income families who were provided with public meal service. The sample was obtained from the Survey of Meal Service for Poor Children conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs in 2007. Meal skipping was significantly associated with a lower nutrition and health status, and poor school performance of children, as hypothesized. The school age of child, family structure, region, job of caretaker, concern about diet, and the child's visit to welfare center significantly predicted frequency of meal skipping. We suggested a few implications for community practice to reduce meal skipping of children.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2021

Background: In this study, the association of work and demographic characteristics with different traffic offenses committed by food delivery riders in Greece was examined. Previous research has identified various factors related to risky driving however, there is a need for exploring the complex interrelationship of work-related factors underlying risky driving behavior. Materials and Methods: A 2-items uestionnaire was used exploring delivery riders demographic characteristics, terms of employment, issues of concern during work and type of traffic offenses committed. In total, uestionnaires were analyzed using logistic regression in order to identify characteristics independently associated with serious traffic offenses, namely, red-light running and helmet non-use. Results: The analysis showed that: (i) typical health and safety measures had no effect on serious traffic offenses, (ii) young age was related to both offenses however (iii) different sets of work conditions were associated with reports of red-light running (i.e. low work experience, use of personal vehicle for work, and payment by hour) and helmet non-use respectively (i.e. intense work pace, high tip income per day and low concern about vehicle condition). Conclusion: The above findings provide evidence that serious traffic offenses are manifestations of underlying conflict experienced by the riders between safety and various performance criteria. Each one of the two offenses is related to different rider profiles aiming to satisfy different goals, namely, those mainly trying to maximize profit non-helmet users and those, mostly inexperienced ones, trying to cope with work pressure red light runners. Potential regulatory measures to alleviate risky practices are discussed.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.109-113
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of life of high schoolers related to oral health. The subjects in this study were 287 high school students, on whom a survey was conducted. After the collected data were analyzed, the following findings were given: 1. As for self-perceived oral health state, 34.8 percent of the high schoolers investigated found themselves to be in a good oral health, and 65.2 percent didn't. In regard to concern for oral health, 15.7 percent showed a lot of interest, and 52.6 percent were a little interested. 31.7 percent had no interest in that. 2. Out of the oral health impact profile (OHIP) areas, they scored highest on the area of physical pain(2.24) and lowest on the area of social disadvantage(1.35). The overall oral health impact profile was 1.66. 3. Concerning relationship between general characteristics and the OHIP areas, the high school boys got significantly higher scores on the area of social disadvantage, and those who had ever visited dentist's offices scored statistically significantly higher on the areas of physical pain and mental insecurity. 4. Regarding connections between concern for oral health and the OHIP areas, those who were very interested in oral health got statistically significantly higher scores on every area. 5. As to the correlation among the OHIP areas, there was a statistically significantly positive correlation among all the areas.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.615-622
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of the study is to estimate the dental caries experience and the factors influencing the dental caries in children and adolescents and to provide the data for effective management of oral health in children and adolescents. Methods : Subjects were 446 students randomly recruited in primary, middle, high school students located in Seoul from April 1 to May 31 2011. The data were collected by a questionnaire survey and direct oral examination. The collected data were analyzed with the SPSS WIN 14.0 program. Results : DMF in male accounted for 88.8% and that in female accounted for 89.1%. The oral promotion behaviors in female was significantly higher than those in male (p<0.001). Aged (p<0.05) and well-educated parents(p<0.001) tended to have better oral promotion behaviors. The higher oral health knowledge, the better oral health promotion behaviors. Better oral health promotion behaviors tended to have lower DMFT and DT index (p<0.01). In regression analysis, age, oral health promotion behavior in children and adolescents were related to the dental caries experience (p<0.001). Poor oral health promotion behaviors increased the dental caries experience. Conclusions : The active oral health care can prevent dental caries in children and adolescents. The concern for oral health care is important to maintain healthy dental hygiene.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.13-23
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• 2009

Purpose: Suicide was considered as a big public health concern in recent years because suicide mortality has been increased rapidly. This study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of suicidal ideation among adolescents in South Korea. Methods: The data of 2007 Youth Health Risk Behavior Web-based Survey collected by Korean Center for Disease Control were analyzed using logistic regression for this study. Results: The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 23.7% in South Korea. The risk factors of suicide ideation were depression (odds 8.43), perceived stress(odds 4.30), drug use (odds 2.47), sexual intercourse(odds 2.36), present smoking (odds 1.76), present alcohol drink (odds 2.39), feeling unhappiness (odds 2.89), living with none of parents (odds 1.71), gender(odds 1.72), health status (odds 1.66), and socioeconomic status (odds 2.0). Conclusion : Health risk behaviors and mental health status were related to suicide ideation. Health risk behavior such as smoking and drinking prevention programs and mental health promotion programs should be implemented to decrease suicide ideation among adolescents. Suicide, mental health and health risk behaviors should be prevented through comprehensive health promotion programs.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.61-76
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• 2003

As people get broader access to health information through the internet, there is a greater need for measure to maximize the social advantages of the internet and to minimize negative side-effects. With this concern, this paper classifies internet health information services sites into : on-line supply of health information, on-line consultation, on-line diagnosis, and on-line sales. As well this paper analyzes domestic laws supporting and/or regulating these services. The efficient provision of internet health services requires comprehensive laws on individual privacy protection, prevention and handling of medical accidents, an electronic prescription form for internet diagnosis, electronic signing, payment for medical expenses, qualifications for internet medical practitioners. Additional laws are required to establish internet pharmacies and internet health goods stores. These new laws can be prepared either separately or through revision of existing laws governing medical practice, pharmacies, and public health promotion. However, as the legal control by the government on cyber processes and entities has a fairly minimal effect, consumers should be encouraged to improve their own capacity for wisely using internet health services and health-service providers should be encouraged to promote voluntary supervision and control of their own services and practices.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.85-97
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• 2006

Objectives: This study was done for the purpose of revitalization of the health improvement project by looking into major influence factors on the health examination of local residents in a city area. Methods: The research data was collected using a survey of the local residents in Wonju-City, Gangwondo. The survey was held between Oct. 4th to Oct. 15th, 2004. And, it was done as a household interview survey. The independent variables used were socio-demographic characteristics, health status, health concern, and health behaviors. The dependent variable was whether or not the respondent did take a cancer screening test. Results: In case of men, the execution rate of cancer screening was higher for those who had spouses, who were having no experience of a disease, who drank, and who did exercise. In the case of women, the execution rate of cancer screening was higher in the cases who had spouses, who had high income levels, and who were making an effort for their health. Conclusion: To raise the execution rate of health examination, more research on the major factor of cancer screening is necessary.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.330-341
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• 2014

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that affect the participation of union members who involved in the Korean health cooperatives. Methods: Questionnaires were collected from 1,041 respondents who voluntarily participated in seven health cooperatives. In order to verify the hypothesis, collected data were analyzed using binomial logistic regression. Results: Longer tenure, higher collective motive, organizational age were associated with types of participation. In operative participation, marital status, higher reward motive, better accessibility to the cooperatives influenced concern about the high-level participation. Organizational age were associated with the high-level participation in management participation. Longer tenure, interaction with staff, management participation were involved in additional investment. Conclusion: This is the first study to statistically prove that the influencing factors on the participation in the health cooperatives. Based on these findings, the provision of differentiated strategies should be useful for increase of participation.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.422-430
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• 2007

The socioeconomic inequalities in health have recently become an important public health concern in South Korea, and the issue has gained increasing attention from many South Korean researchers due to the increasing income inequality and Widening social polarization following its economic crisis in the late 1990s. However, despite the mounting literature on health inequalities published in recent years, the history of research on health inequality in South Korea is premature in comparison to the long histories in several Western countries. Understanding the historical background underlying the issue of health inequality research may aid in establishing and accumulating scientifically solid evidence in South Korea. It may also direct the South Korean research community to develop research agendas that are. more politically and academically appropriate for South Korean society. This paper describes the historical development of health inequality research in the West and introduces several important issues contributing to the advancement of health inequality research. Specifically, the major studies conducted before and after the UK Black Report are presented. In addition, the history and current status of health inequality research in South Korea are documented and evaluated. Finally, several research agendas for the quantitative and qualitative improvement of health inequality research in South Korea are proposed.