• Quality Improvement in Health Care
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.208-217
• /
• 2001

Background : The objective of this study is proving the basic data for developing a management system for the discharges against medical advice(AMA) by identifying the characteristics of the AMA patients of an university hospital for 10 years. Methods : By using discharge abstract data base, we divided the total discharges(435,254) into two groups, discharge against medical advice and discharge with discharge order. We confirmed the characteristics of AMA group by analyzing discharge abstract data of the both groups by SAS software V6.12 and $x^2$ test. Medical records of AMA patients in the year 2000 were reviewed to identify the reasons for AMA which we couldn't extract from discharge abstract DB. Result : The total number of AMA for 10 years were 9,358(2.15%) and the AMA rate has been continuously decreased for 10 years. Male, admission through emergency room, discharges admission via other hospital, patients without operation during hospitalization, discharges in hopeless or not improved condition showed higher AMA rate. The AMA rate was higher as the age of the patients was higher, and the average length of stay was longer in AMA patients than in those with discharge order. The AMA rate in psychiatry was highest(14.3%) and it was higher in surgery departments than those of medical or other sections. The AMA rate varied by attending physicians even in the same department and it was statistically significant. Patients with the principal diagnosis of "medical observation and evaluation for suspected diseases" showed the highest AMA rate(15.5%), and that of schizophrenia or psychosis was the nest. One hundred twenty-one patients(19.5%) out of 622 AMA in 2000 discharged against medical advice for transfer to order health care facilities. Among them 71 patients(58.7%) discharged with their medical care information, such as copies of medical record, medical certificates, summaries, etc. Written oath of the patients discharged AMA was filed in their medical records in 466 cases(74.9%) although some of them were incomplete. Conclusion : Characteristics of AMA discharge could be used as the basic data in developing a system to manage the patients who have risk factors to leave the hospital against medical advice. By reducing number of patients leaving the hospital against medical advice we can increase satisfaction of medical providers and consumers.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.21-28
• /
• 2002

In order to reflect emotion and sensibility of consumers to textile pattern design, the effect of design elements of block stripe pattern on sensitivity was investigated. The stimuli were manipulated with 4 design elements of value difference (3 levels), arrangement (2 levels), width (2 levels) and interval (3 levels). Among the 36 combinations, 27 stimuli, which showed independent sensibility results in the pretest, were adopted as final stimuli. Male and female university students (n=30) evaluated each sensibility subjectively using a questionnaire developed for this study. The effect of design elements on 12 sensibility dimensions drawn by factor analysis and the relationships between the physical quantities of each stimulus and the sensibilities were investigated. As the results of ANOVA for the effect of design elements on sensibility, there were more significant differences in sensibility in the orders of value difference, interval, width, and arrangement. The value difference showed the highest explanatory power. Looking at the sensibility differences according to the level of design elements, the narrower the width of the stripe, the more 'humble', 'clean', 'modern', 'simple', and 'comfortable', and the narrower the interval between stripes, the more 'impressive' and 'conservative' The smaller the value difference, the more 'luxurious', 'modern', 'humble', 'simple', 'soft', and 'clean'. Regression models to predict the 12 sensibilities showed higher values of goodness of fit except 'conservative', 'casual' and 'modern', which were all over 0.6. Based on these results, 2 design prototypes reflecting consumer's sensibility were presented.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.57-63
• /
• 2018

Purpose - This research examined the effect of hedonic and utilitarian eating-out motivations on the evaluation of restaurant selection attributes in a fashion premium outlet. Additionally, the influence of experimental and functional attributes on customers' preference for hedonic eating-out motives and utilitarian eating-out motives, and variation of moderating effects through the gender was examined. Research design, data, and methodology - A survey was conducted to verify the established research hypothesis. The questionnaire items for the research were modified to fit the situation of the present study. In order to elaborate the questionnaire, the literature of the previous researchers was reviewed and supplemented. The survey conducted 207 online questionnaires for consumers who have visited domestic fashion premium outlets from July 4, 2017 to July 27, 2017. A total of 207 questionnaires were collected, and a total of 206 questionnaires were used for the empirical analysis after excluding one inappropriate response. In order to verify the reliability and validity of the measured variables, exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were performed using SPSS 20.0. Next, the structural equation model (SEM) statistical method was used to test the hypotheses of the study. Results - Hedonic motivation had more influence on experimental attribute importance than the functional attribute importance of the restaurant. However, this result was different depending on the gender. The effects of hedonic motives on empirical attributes were more influenced by female groups, and when influencing functional attributes, male groups were more influenced. However, it was statistically significant (p <0.05) in the female group only when the hedonic eating out motives influenced empirical attributes. Conclusions - This study analyzed the effect of eating-out motivation on the restaurant preference attributes and suggested practical implications. First, customers with hedonic eating-out motivations were evaluating experiential attributes to be more important than functional attributes. Second, for customers who are motivated to use practical eating-out habits, companies should provide services that meet practical and economic needs. In particular, female customers visiting restaurants need differentiated marketing strategies that make them feel new experiences rather than practical ones. In addition, it is necessary to study more complex and integrated studies which will influence restaurant selection attributes of premium outlets customers by adding various eating out motives and selection attributes.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.18 no.11
• /
• pp.501-513
• /
• 2020

Femvertising campaigns are more easily observed in oversea rather than in Korea. Most recently, not only global companies but local consumer goods companies launched several femvertising campaigns. However, no research was done on effects of femvertising in Korea. Thus, this study will explore Korean college students' understanding of, attitude toward, and effects of femvertising through focus group interviews. Study results found that college students have low level of understanding on the concept of femvertising. However, they are somewhat familiar with contents of femvertising. Femvertising is believed to have positive impacts on gender equality and female empowerment whereas there are growing concerns over commercializing feminism. Study participants, regardless of gender, suggest that femvertising could influence consumers' attitude toward advertising and brand, but they are skeptical of purchase intention. Lastly, female participants suggest that femvertising, compared to traditional advertising, will enhance attitude toward ads and brand, and even have a positive impact on feminism. However, male participants suggest that femvertising may exacerbate the gender conflict between males and females which is called as 'misandry' or 'misogyny'.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.318-323
• /
• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate the levels of awareness of fermented vegetable beverages according to consumers' gender. The data were obtained through questionnaires completed randomly by 441 respondents and analyzed using the SPSS, t-tests, ANOVA, X-square tests, multiple regression, and logistic regression analyses. Among 441 respondents, 32.9% of male and 30.2% of female ever consumed fermented vegetable beverages. This beverage were consumed as an alternative for water in males (6.3%) and in females (7.9%) which was the most common reason for consumption. As for the most common reason for non-consumption, males (5.9%) and females (6.6%) responded that they did not consume fermented vegetable beverages because people around them have never consumed fermented vegetable beverages. The awareness that fermented vegetable beverages help reduce hunger was higher in females (3.2%) than and in males (2.9%). These results revealed that the awareness of fermented vegetable beverages as hunger alleviators was more prevalent in females than in males which can be used as preliminary data for research on the development of fermented vegetable beverages.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.565-575
• /
• 2009

The purpose of this study was to propose the appropriate sizes and dish combination for nutritional-balanced lunch boxes delivered to children under the government-funded meal service program in Korea. The study was based on the 3 : 1 : 2 Meal Box Magic, a nutrition education method developed in Japan. A total of 290 lunch menus, comprising of 10 day menus from 29 organizations having delivered lunch boxes to children during summer vacation of 2008, were analyzed and used as the base data for lunch box combination. Dishes of the menus were classified into 6 groups: Rice group, Protein side dish group (including meat, fish, egg, and bean dishes), Vegetable side dish group, Kimchi group (including kimchi and jangajji), Soup stew group, and the other group. Nutrient analysis was conducted for 100 ml of these dishes by CAN Pro 3.0 utilizing volume and weight conversion data used for analysis of the Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and those from the Nutrient Composition of Food for Consumers. All the possible combinations of 5 dishes, comprising of 3 dishes from Rice group, Protein side dish group, and Kimchi group, respectively, and 2 dishes from Vegetable side dish group, were made using the frequently served dishes from the respective dish group. Nutrient analysis of each combination was conducted based on the assumption that a lunch box was 600 ml and filled up to 80% by dishes using the volume ratio of 3 : 1 : 1.5 : 0.5 for Rice group : Protein side dish group : Vegetable side dish group : Kimchi group. The mean and standard deviation of energy and nutrients of all combinations calculated by weighting the serving frequency of each dish selected for the combinations were $621\pm81$ kcal for Energy, $22.1\pm5.0$ g for Protein, $120\pm45$ mg for Calcium, $4.1\pm1.1$ mg for Iron, $201\pm130\;{\mu}g$ RE for Vitamin A, $0.34\pm0.10$ mg for Thiamin, $0.27\pm0.10$ mg for Riboflavin, and $24.3\pm9.6$ mg for Vitamin C. The energy percentages from Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat were 66%, 14% and 20%. The analysis results met the nutrition standard of lunch boxes for male elementary students in grades 4 through 6 under the government-funded meal service program regarding calories, nutrients except calcium and riboflavin, and macronutrient distribution ranges. Accordingly appropriate box sizes were suggested for different age and sex groups to meet the respective nutrition standards. In addition, milk or dairy products were suggested to accompany lunch boxes to supplement calcium and riboflavin intake. The method of selecting box sizes and making dish combination suggested in this study could be useful for the organizations preparing lunch boxes under the government-funded children's meal service program where nutrition professionals are not available.

• Journal of Fashion Business
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.83-98
• /
• 2006

With the subjects of male consumers in their 20s to 40s living in the Ningbo area in Zhejiang Province, this study aims to investigate into the reality of their purchase attitude and size fitness of ready-made suits. The results are as follows; Looking into their demographic characteristics, 70.6% of the subjects were twenties, 60.6% were single, and educational career stood in the order of college, middle school, and high school graduation. They were largely absorbed in free trade, followed by teaching, commerce and service industry. 59.6% of them were Zhejiang Province belongs. One to two thousand yuan was the greatest portion of their monthly income. As for their purchase attitude of ready-made suits, they thought higher of material, quality, activity, and solidity than of design. They preferred to buy clothes at a department store. There was significant difference between purchase frequency and purchase price according to monthly income and jobs. Concerning brand recognition, the Chinese subjects favored "Youngor." Though Korea's brands were very lowly recognized, Korean products received really high recognition. Compared with China's brands, they found foreign brands excellent in design, followed by material/matter, wear, and sewing. As to their physical satisfaction and the size fitness of clothes, most subjects felt happy with their sizes. Trousers and jackets were among the unfitting suit items, while the girth of waist was the least satisfactory size. Therefore, in order to raise the market occupation rate of Korean suit goods in China, more aggressive marketing strategies are required to utilize the current Korean-style entertainment and maximize concerning brand images. In particular, outstanding products in consideration of prices should be made through the proper patternmaking to reflect the body types of the Chinese.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.367-375
• /
• 2006

The chemical components, lipid class, and fatty acid composition of muscle from male and female common squid, Todarodes pacificus, were examined to evaluate the potential utilization of muscle from fin, head, arms, and tentacles, which consumers usually like less than the mantle. The mantle was found to constitute 47-49% of the total muscle and the proportion was slightly higher in females than in males. For the remaining 51-53% of the muscle, the only gender difference was that the arms of males contained approximately 3% more muscle than those of females (P<0.05). The protein content was higher in the mantle, arms, and tentacles than in the fin and head in both males and females (P<0.05), and was slightly higher in males (15.7-20.7%) than in females (15.1-19.2%). By contrast, the lipid content was slightly higher in females (1.82-2.54%) than in males (1.01-2.37%), and the fins in both males and females contained the most lipids (2.37-2.54%) of all muscle. The prominent lipid classes in the muscles were free sterol (males 81.5-91.9% vs. females 84.9-91.8% for the non-polar lipid content), phosphatidylcholine (PC, males 59.3-62.4% vs. females 49.2-57.8% for the phospholipid content) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE, males 22.0-28.8% vs. females 25.6-33.8% for the phospholipid content). The percentage of PC was approximately 5-10% higher in males (P<0.05), especially in the fin, while that of PE was approximately 3-5% higher in female (P<0.05), especially in the head. All of the squid muscle contained 52.1-54.9% of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Males contained slightly more DHA, whereas female contained more EPA. The total percentage of n-3 PUFA differed little among muscles within the same gender.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.1155-1172
• /
• 2009

Wearable computers can be defined as next generation clothing integrated with various digital functions and devices. Unlike existing computers, they are viewed as human-centric computers customized for information utilization and other specific human needs. This study is intended to discover how consumers are accepting wearable computers, which are different from existing computers, based on Technology Acceptance Model(TAM) and to extend the model by adding variable regarding acceptance of wearable computers. A total of 683 copies of questionnaires, distributed to those aged 19 and older, both male and female, were collected online. The data was statistically analyzed for this study using the extended TAM. In order to test hypotheses, the structural equation model using the Lisrel 8.30 version was performed. For analyzing constructs(or traits) of research model, exploratory factor was conducted and the measurement model was assessed from the result. Reliability was assessed through confirmatory factor analysis and the calculation of Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Overall, model fit was assessed by statistical indexes: Chi-square value, GFI, AGFI, and RMR. This study analyzed the process of acceptance of wearable computers with the extended TAM that includes a variable, perceived value, on the basis of previous studies. The results of the analysis revealed that attitude toward wearable computer was directly influenced by perceived usefulness and perceived value but indirectly influenced by perceived ease of use. Acceptance intention of the wearable computer was directly influenced by perceived value and attitude toward wearable computer. To be more specific, perceived usefulness was significantly correlated with both attitude toward wearable computer and acceptance intention of the wearable computer. Perceived value was also significantly correlated with both attitude toward wearable computer and acceptance intention of the wearable computer. The results of this study also suggested that perceived ease of use was actually a causal antecedent to perceived usefulness and perceived value. This research revealed that extended TAM to investigate the acceptance of wearable computer was appropriate. This study is intended to provide a theoretical framework for adoption of wearable computer and suggest empirical analysis that can serve as a guide for wearable computer.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.14 no.12
• /
• pp.555-560
• /
• 2016

This study attempted to secure competitiveness in the cosmetics market and provide basic data needed to promote sales and PR after reflecting consumer demands and needs in the development of cosmeceuticals. For this, it investigated their perception regarding the ingredients and efficacies of cosmeceuticals and repurchase intention among a total of 193 adults in their 20-50s who have had prior experience of buying these types of products from an online shopping mall as the importance of cosmeceuticals is emerging. According to a survey on consumer perceptions regarding the ingredients of cosmeceuticals by gender, there was a clear difference between men and women. In particular, when asked about the ingredients of whitening cosmetics, the percentage of male respondents was as low as 30.8% with a significant difference between men and women (t=31.688,p<0.001). In addition, most consumers were very aware of the efficacies of the ingredients of cosmeceuticals on the skin. In terms of actual repurchase intention, however, a significant difference was found by gender and product type in 3 different cosmeceuticals. In other words, men were lower than women in terms of awareness of cosmeceuticals and repurchase intention. Therefore, the development of a plan which satisfies both men and women, easily labels ingredients and meets consumer needs and demands through proper pricing policy are needed during the development of cosmeceuticals.