• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.403-407
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• 2009

Objectives : The amount of medical utilization by Medical Aid recipients was 3.7 times that of patients with Korean Medical Insurance. This study aims to describe the surplus medicine and the medication-related utilization, and to determine factors contributing to surplus medicine. Methods : Among those who used copayment-free Class I Medical Aid in 2005, 146,880 subjects who were $\geq19$ year-old and received >365 days medical treatment per year were studied with their case managers by conducting face-to-face interviews. The analytic methods were description, chi-square, t-tests, ANCOVA and multiple logistic regressions. Results : Most subjects were female (68.6%), the elderly (62.5%), and the separated (61.6%), had an elementary graduation or less (74.8%), and had disabilities (33.2%). The percentage of subjects with surplus medicine was 18.5%. However, the percentage of females, the elderly, those with non-disabilities, the separated, the uneducated, those with a very poor perceived health status and those with an economical burden for medical treatment was 19.3%, 18.9%, 19.0%, 19.3%, 19.0%, 20.2% and 24.3%, respectively. For subjects with surplus medicine, averages for the number of used pharmacies, the pharmacy-visit days and the medication costs were 4.6 drugstores, 34.9 days and approximately 1,124 thousand Won(￦). These values were higher than those without surplus medicine (4.4 drugstores, 33.8 days, and ￦1,110 thousand, respectively). The odds ratios of the contributing factors to surplus medicine were female 1.11 (95% CI=1.07-1.14), the elderly 1.06 (95% CI=1.02-1.10), those with non-disabilities 1.08 (95% CI=1.05-1.12), the separated 1.14 (95% CI=1.10-1.18), the unmarried 1.12 (95% CI=1.07-1.18), the uneducated 1.03 (95% CI=1.01-1.08), those with a very poor perceived health status 1.04 (95% CI=1.01-1.08) and experiencing an economical burden for medical treatment 2.33 (95% CI=2.26-2.40). Conclusions : 18.5% of subjects had surplus medicine with a higher mean of medication cost. Therefore, health education and health promotion programs to prevent surplus medicine and to improve the appropriate usage of medication are necessary.

• Korean Journal of Labor Studies
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.129-164
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• 2017

This article is an exploratory study on the recent growth of short-hours part-time work in Korea. The short-hours part-time work has been rapidly growing among low-educated women over sixty, particularly among bereaved or divorced women, contrary to the expectation of the government that encouraged the part-time work by means of work-family balance for working mothers or middle-aged women who experienced career interruption. The short-hours part-time jobs are concentrated in social service industry, mostly elderly care service jobs, and their working conditions are extremely poor, mostly low-wage jobs with no social insurances except for health insurance. In this study, we discuss why the short-hours part-time work has grown so fast in Korea since the mid 2000s. Using various governmental statistics, we examine the effects of the labor demand and supply situations during the time period, the legal context that is related with the exempt clause of the labor law, and the institutional context related with the government's public job creation projects for the elderly. We suggest some public policies needed to slow down the growth of the short-hours part-time jobs and to elevate their working conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.422-429
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• 2006

The study aims to examine that regular leisure activity of the elderly has a beneficial effect to enhance their health condition. The elderly subjects of 164 (82 of elderly who do leisure and 82 of elderly who do not leisure) aged over 60 years in Suwon area were employed. Survey questionnaires were administered to investigate general characteristics, life style, mental status, dietary life and nutritional status. From the findings, the elderly who do leisure were highly educated, better in living status and higher employment rate. The mental status of the elderly without leisure activity was very much inferior to that of the elderly with leisure activity, representing higher prevalence rate of depression. Furthermore, the elderly who do not leisure showed higher drinking and smoking rates, irregular eating habits, poor teeth condition and chewing style as well as having eating obstacles. Mean caloric intake of both the elderly was also lower than that of RDA. The elderly who do not leisure have shown lower intakes in most of essential nutrients in contrast to the elderly who do leisure. In conclusion, the elderly with regular leisure activity seemed to have better life style and mental status, dietary life and nutritional status. Therefore, it is critically important to establish the health program combined with various leisure activity for the seniors to promote and energize the later years of life.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.739-748
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• 1994

These days the Korean costume becomes the formal dress to be worn on particular occasions. The Westernization of life style, inculding dress, has made the costume of wearing traditional dress disappear from Korean's everyday life. This study is launched to investigate the precious textiles and materials of the past before they vanish; this study deals with the materials of folk costume in the early 20th century, preceding Westernization. The research method adopted in the study was interviews of fifth- five elderly persons living around the Mt. Kumo area in Gyungbuk province. The result was that costume culture in that area was poor because people living in the area were economically less well off due to meager agricultural products. There was no variety in the style of costumes to be worn for various occasions. It was also nothworthy that because of no diversification in naming, only one representative word was used to name several types of costumes. On the other hand, it was discovered that the people in the Mt. Kumo area had religious aspirations stemming from their folk beliefs concerning costumes. They also had an attitude of saving money despite poor economic conditions.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.1295-1309
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• 2005

Nowadays, the nutritional deficits are rarely seen in Korea. However, an increased availability of the highly palatable energy dense, nutrient-poor foods increases the risks of obesity and deficits of vitamins and minerals in the general population. Also, optimum intake of vitamins and minerals, which varies with age and genetic back ground, might not suffice the poor, young, obese, and elderly people. Young girls and individuals participating in weight reductions and aesthetic components are prone to micronutrient deficiencies because they restrict food intake and specific micronutrient rich foods. An inadequate intake of vitamins or minerals is associated with reduced physical performance and exercise capacity, increased obesity, decreased cognitive function, increased DNA damages such as single- and double-stranded breaks or oxidative DNA lesions, and accelerated aging process and increased neuronal damages with mitochondrial oxidative decay. Most of these deleterious effects of the deficit could be prevented by a one tablet of multivitamins with a good balanced diet. High dose B vitamins are frequently administered to overcome the metabolic inadequacy to the people with the less functional enzymes with increased Km values for their coenzymes due to the single gene mutation or due to the single nucleotide polymorphisms. And some certain antioxidant vitamins are also used in large quantities to overcome the oxidative stress and to repair the damages. In this review, new nutritional concepts of some vitamins and minerals, which are widely used and useful for the children, will be discussed.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.67-82
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• 2008

Purpose: The objective of this study were to examine the determinants of self-rated health, specially focused on the effect of functional capacity of community dwelling sedentary older adults on self-rated health. Method: The data has been collected from 654 community-dwelling sedentary older adults (mean age: 75 years) during the period from April to June in 2007. The data were collected by the in-person interview and direct measurement of functional capacity. The data were analyzed using chi-square test and multiple regression analysis with the SPSS 9.1 program. Result: The elderly rated their health as very good (3%), good (28%), fair (38%), poor (29%0, and very poor (2%). The higher average daily walk minutes ($\beta$=0.12, p<.01), number of chair stand ($\beta$=0.10, p<.05), scores of self-efficacy ($\beta$=0.16, p<.001) and the lower number of disease ($\beta$=-0.44, p<.001) show better self-rated health. Conclusion: Self-rated health is the most commonly used indicators in social epidemiology and geriatric research because it has been known as the good predictor of mortality and reflects health related disability. The finding suggested that daily walking habits, lower body strength, physical self-efficacy should be considered to improve the senior's self-perception of health. The community-based intervention associate increase these factors should be considered.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.289-296
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to changes in respiratory function due to differences in mask blocking grade, and effects on cardiovascular function during aerobic exercise. Design: Comparative study using paired t-test and analysis of variance measures. Methods: Male and female subjects were randomly divided into 4 groups according to mask blocking grade and measured respiratory functions before and after wearing the mask using spirometers, and their cardiovascular capabilities were measured using pulse oxygen meters and blood pressure meters before and after running for 10 minutes wearing mask. Used paired t-test, one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post-test to compare the differences according to the mask blocking grade. Results: The experimental results verified that three groups except for the Non-mask group had a significant reduction in all values of FVC, FEV1, MVV, and PEF after wearing a mask compared to those before wearing a mask(p<0.05). Also a significant difference in cardiovascular functions was also observed after aerobic exercises wearing mask in all groups and there was a significant difference between all four groups(p<0.05). Conclusions: Lung patients with poor breathing, elderly and children with poor lung function, and professional groups who need to wear masks and take high-intensity work or aerobic movements are encouraged to take frequent breaks in advance, wear masks and social distancing at moderate and low levels.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.149-162
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the level of digital oral health literacy among Korean adults in Gangwon-do. Methods: A survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with adults aged 30-89 residing in Gangwon-do, South Korea. The independent variables were socio-demographic characteristics, including gender, age, education level, income, and occupation. The dependent variable was digital oral health literacy. The statistical analysis included Independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis, all performed using the SPSS 27.0 software program. Results: The elderly and those with poor socioeconomic status (p<0.001) had lower average scores due to poor digital oral health literacy. The ease of searching for oral health information and the utilization of digital devices to search for information on oral health displayed a significant relationship (r=0.730, p<0.001). To develop the use of digital devices, simplifying the search for oral information (p<0.001) is essential. Conclusions: All socio-demographic characteristics, except gender, displayed a correlation with the level of digital oral health literacy. Both environmental and individual aspects of the respondents' living conditions must be considered to improve digital oral health literacy.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.319-344
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• 2012

This study decomposed Concentration Index(CI) and Hiwv Index(HI) of medical care utilization by subgroups: sex, age group, and region. CI and HI were decomposed into "the between group" component, "within group" component, and a residual. The results of analysis are summarized as follows; First, there was no influence of sex on the equity of medical care utilization measured by the numbers of visiting clinic. However, "within group" component of female explained .0441 among HI, .1035. This means that poor women's underutilization of medical care is the important factor in determining its degree of equity. Second, age groups had a decisive effect on the equity of medical care utilization measured by the numbers of visiting clinic. they explained -.0085 among HI, -.0170. Third, internal equality within elderly group was the most important factor in determining HI measured by the medical care cost. Finally, "within group" component of urban area explained .0535 amomg HI, ,1035 measured by medical care cost. This indicated that the urban poor's underutilization of medical care was very important factor in explaining its degree of equity. There was the poor's underutilization of medical care within the groups as female, the elderly, and urban areas. This significantly explained the equity of medical care costs.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2011

Purpose: Incidents of suicide attempt and acute poisoning in the elderly population is rising. This study investigated the clinical nature of acute poisoning and differences between the survival and mortality groups in the elderly. Methods: We retrospectively investigated 325 patients with acute poisoning who visited the emergency department. Patients were divided into two groups, one survival and one death group. Information regarding patient sex, age, root cause of poisoning, time of year of poisoning, type of intoxicant, duration of time between intoxicant ingestion and arrival at the emergency department, total length of hospital stay, and any previous suicide attempts and subsequent hospitalization were collected. An initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and an initial and final Poison Severity Score (PSS) for each patient was calculated. Results: The survival rate for men was higher than for women in this study. The most common reason of drug intoxication was suicide, with accidental ingestion and substance abuse occurring in descending frequency. Seasonal factors were reflected in the data with the highest number of incidents occurring in spring and the lowest number in winter. Compared with the mortality group, the survival group had a lower initial PSS with a higher GCS. Conclusion: We conclude that being female, having suicide as a root cause, agrochemicals as an intoxicant, low initial Glasgow Coma Scale and high initial Poisoning Severity Score, are all associated with poor prognosis.