• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.347-365
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• 1995

A survey was conducted to study perception and attitudes of health workers towards health center's activities and organization of health services, from August 15 to September 30, 1994. The study population was 310 health workers engaged in seven urban health centers in Taegu City area. A questionnaire method was used to collect data and response rate was 81.3 percent or 252 respondents. The following are summaries of findings: Profiles of study population: Health workers were predominantly female(62.3%); had college education(60.3%); and held medical and nursing positions(39.6%), technicians(30.6%) and public health/administrative positions(29.8%). Perceptions on health center's resources: Slightly more than a half(51.1%) of respondents expressed that physical facilities of the centers are inadequate; equipments needed are short(39.0%); human resource is inadequate(44.8%); and health budget allocated is insufficient(38.5%) to support the performance of health center's activities. Decentralization and health services: The majority revealed that the decentralization of government system would affect the future activities of health centers(51.9%) which may have to change. However, only one quarter of respondents(25.4%) seemed to view the decentralization positively as they expect that it would help perform health activities more effectively. The majority of the respondents(78.6%) insisted that the function and organization of the urban health centers should be changed. Target workload and job satisfaction: A large proportion (43.3%) of respondents felt that present target setting systems for various health activities are unrealistic in terms of community needs and health center's situation while only 11.1 percent responded it positively; the majority(57.5%) revealed that they need further training in professional fields to perform their job more effectively; more than one third(35.7%) expressed that they enjoy their professional autonomy in their job performance; and a considerable proportion (39.3%) said they are satisfied with their present work. Regarding the personnel management, more worker(47.3%) perceived it negatively than positive(11.5%) as most of workers seemed to think the personnel management practiced at the health centers is not fair or justly done. Health services rendered: Among health services rendered, health workers perceived the following services are most successfully delivered; they are, in order of importance, Tb control, curative services, and maternal and child health care. Such areas as health education, oral health, environmental sanitation, and integrated health services are needed to be strengthening. Regarding the community attitudes towards health workers, 41.3 percent of respondents think they are trusted by the community they serve. New areas of concern identified which must be included in future activities of health centers are, in order of priority, health care of elderly population, home health care, rehabilitation services, and such chronic diseases control programs as diabetes, hypertension, school health and mental health care. In conclusion, the study revealed that health workers seemed to have more negative perceptions and attitudes than positive ones towards organization and management of health services and activities performed by the urban health centers where they are engaged. More specifically, the majority of health workers studied revealed to have the following areas of health center's organization and management inadequate or insufficient to support effective performance of their health activities: Namely, physical facilities and equipments required are inadequate; human and financial resources are insufficient; personnel management is unsatisfactory; setting of service target system is unrealistic in terms of the community needs. However, respondents displayed a number of positive perceptions, particularly to those areas as further training needs and implementation of decentralization of government system which will bring more autonomy of local government as they perceived these change would bring the necessary changes to future activities of the health center. They also displayed positive perceptions in their job autonomy and have job satisfactions.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.183-185
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• 2011

The present study was performed to determine the prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis among preschool children in Gimhae-si, Korea. A total of 6,921 preschool children in 76 kindergartens were examined using the cellotape perianal swab method. The overall egg positive rate (EPR) was 10.5%. The EPR in boys was higher than that in girls (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.5, P<0.001), and it was higher in rural than in urban children (AOR: 1.2, P=0.022). The present study confirmed that the prevalence of E. vermicularis infection is fairly high among preschool children in Gimhae-si. Therefore, systematic control and preventive measures should be adopted to reduce morbidity associated with this nematode infection.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.55-65
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• 2015

Purpose: Korea is increasing in the demand for medical services due to rapid economic growth and population aging in modern society. Thus, the importance has been emphasized for the health promotion in the community and the publicity and substantiality of public health centers. However, the environment is insufficient, compared to required functions and developed services as a urban public health center. The purpose of this study is to analysis the plane type and area composition of public health centers in Busan and to identify the property of their spatial configuration Methods: Eight public health centers in Busan, were classified, which had been selected as a medical tourism city. Subsequently, space requirements were analyzed, facilities were typed, vertical, horizontal spaces were reviewed, and area ratios by business function were calculated. Results: A review of the property of spatial configuration and an analysis of the area ratio revealed the three findings. 1)The horizontal analysis found various types: a single type, a multi-type, a radial type, and a circular type, 2)The vertical analysis showed that since a care function (general practice), and a task function (maternal and child health) were concentrated in lower level spaces, the lobby and core were closed located for providing quick medical services. 3)The analysis of the area ratio in public health centers in terms of their function indicated that each public health center' programs had the greatest influence on the area. Implications: This study attempted to present spatial structural problems and improvements for city public health center by identifying their state and classify their functions and types and by calculating the ratio of their area configuration according to the spatial composition. It was thus aimed to presenting implications in establish public functions and roles by activating business through in connection with the number of municipalities in many ways, such as regional health. medical welfare, etc. to improve the health of local residents, and by providing differentiated programs in accordance with local characteristics.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the current management status and the policy issues of visiting nursing programs at public health center in urban area. Method: A questionnaire surveys was conducted on all public health nurses in 25 health centers in Seoul. Result: The major results were as follows: The characteristics of the visiting nurse showed that the average age was 41.1 years, and total nursing experience was 122 months. Their visiting nursing experience was only 30 months. The recipients of visiting nursing services consisted of 60.1% females, and 32.5% of the recipients were over 65 years. The major health problems of the recipients were hypertension, diabetes mellitus, arthritis and psychiatric problems. The visiting frequency was an average of 5.4 times per day, and 357 families were managed per visiting nurse. The major problems of visiting nursing programs were the shortages of visiting nurse manpower. The most important related policy issue was being in charge of a workload, which was not related to the visiting nursing services. Conclusion: By analyzing work for visiting nurses and identifying weak points, this research can present recommendations to be practically used as baseline data for establishing policy in relation to vitalizing visiting nursing programs.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 1992

Most of oriental medical care resources such as doctors and facilities are distributed in urban areas and approximately ten percent of them is in rural areas. However the aged population of over 60 years old in rural areas is higher than that in urban and these aged population prefer more oriental medical care than the other age group. Therefore, the government planned to carry out the oriental medical care demonstration project in a designated rural areas in 1990. The study was carried out to find out the utilization pattern of medical care and consumers attitude toward oriental medical care treatment provided by health centers. The interview survey was applied to collect the data and 187 patients, who visited to health centers to receive care in 1991, were selected by random sampling. The study results obtained were as follows : 1) Among the 187 respondents, male was 31.6% and female, 68.4%. 2) 73.8% of the respondents were the age of over 45 years old. 3) For the motivation of visiting the health center to receive oriental medical care, 37.4% of the respondents visited purposely according to announcement of oriental medical care and 26.2% of them made a decision by themself 20.3% of them was recommended by the neighbors. 4) The most frequent symptoms surveyed were the disease of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue. 5) By the subjective judgement of the respondents from the result of the oriental medical treatment, recovered or improved cases represent 69.5%. It is considered that the oriental medical care was acceptable, and also the respondents were satisfied with the oriental medical care in terms of kindness of oriental medical doctors, treatment time and expenses of care.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.587-597
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• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the demand and supply of visiting nursing services provided by health centers in urban area, aiming at strengthening infrastructure, which may improved the quality of life and health status of vulnerable population in the community. Methods: This study was conducted through nominal group discussion, focus group study. The demand and supply of visiting nursing were estimated by health economists based on the secondary analysis data from 25 health centers in Seoul. Result: Primary targets for the visiting nursing must be people who are homebound in the community. They can be classified into: a group of Level I: chronic patients who need visiting nursing care at least once a week: and a group of Level II: vulnerable families that need management periodically e. g. twice a month. Based on the estimation of demand for visiting nursing services in the community, the estimated supply required was $651{\sim}770$ visiting nurses including home health nurses in visiting nursing programs based on health centers in Seoul. Conclusions: The estimated demand and supply of visiting nursing are expected to provide basic data for establishing alternative policies on visiting nursing infrastructure that might be accomplished through demand-based visiting nursing programs by districts.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.79-89
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of depression and its risk factors among older adults using social service centers in one urban community. Methods: The participants were 326 older adults who were aged 60 and older in one urban Korean community. Depression was measured by Korean version of short form Geriatric Depression Scale. Results: The prevalence of depression was 33.74% in this study. Logistic regression analysis showed that older adults who were taking prescribed medications, experiencing more symptoms, being educated less than elementary school and having low family function were more likely to have depression as compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: The findings of this study were expected to promote the screening or preventing strategies for older adults at the risk of depression in the community-dwelling older adults.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.191-201
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the predictors of physical activity between urban and rural dwelling Korean older adults. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey. A self-report questionnaire or face to face interviews were used to collect data from 336 older adults (urban: 129, rural: 207) who visited public health centers or welfare centers in 2008. Results: About half of the participants (urban: 50.4%, rural: 47.3%) were classified as the minimally active group. Cognitive function (odds ratio [OR]=1.106, p=.004) and loneliness (OR=0.965, p=.044) were predicting factors for physical activity in rural elderly. Age (OR=0.326, p=.037), gender (OR=2.841, p=.021) and depression (OR= 0.799, p<.001) were significant factors predicting physical activity in urban elders. Conclusion: These findings provide information that is relevant in designing interventions to enhance physical activity in older adults. There is a need to develop effective mutifaceted physical activity interventions that include reducing psychological barriers such as depression, loneliness.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.413-425
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to compare the health services information need between urban area and rural area in Sooncheon City. For accomplishing this purpose, we selected 1,060 adults randomly, 744 urban residents and 314 rural residents were surveyed from 1st, December to 31st, December in 1999. Compared the difference between two areas by cross tabulation, and chi-square test were used. The results of this study are as follows: 1. There were statistically difference in sociodemographic characteristics between urban residents and rural residents, such as age, education, job, income, and insurance payment(p<0.001). 2. According to the health utilization behavior, types of health facility, satisfaction of medical cost, and satisfaction of medical results were statistically different between the two areas(p<0.001). Also utilization of the health service center, and accessibility were statistically different between urban and rural areas(p<0.001). 3. Experiencing the health service information, type of health service information, methods of information, effectiveness, and satisfaction were statistically different between the two areas(p<0.001). 4. And experience of using computer, and internet and preference of method of health service information were statistically different between urban and rural areas. Therefore, the construction of health information system should be carefully reviewed by community health service centers and they should consider the different residents information needs, and accessibility and convenience of community residents.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.15-27
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• 2003

Objectives: This study was conducted to compare the medical care patterns of hypertensive patients between rural and urban areas. Methods: We selected one rural county(Region A where there were 19 public health centers; one health center, 8 health sub-centers and 10 community health posts) and two urban districts(Region B and C where there was no health sub-center and community health post) in Daegu city. Region B had similar socioeconomic characteristics with rural county A while region C had different characteristics. The medical insurance records of 14,422 incident patients (2,501 in region A, 4,873 in region B and 7,048 in region C) with diagnostic code of hypertension from September 1998 to August 1999 were reviewed. Incident patient was defined as a patient who had no record of medical fee claim for hypertension to the national health insurance corporation in past 6 months and visited a medical facility for hypertension for the first time. The data for annual visit days, annual prescription days and annual total medical expenses were abstracted. The medical care pattern was categorized by the number of annual visit days and prescription days. The most proper care group was defined as the patient who visited 6-15 days with 240 prescription days or more in a year. Results: The type of medical facilities for the most visit was clinics, 373.% and it was followed by general hospitals, 28.2%; public health centers, 24.7%; and hospitals, 9.8% in region A(p<0.05). In region B, it was clinics, 63.1% and followed by general hospitals, 27.6%; health center, 5.2%; and hospitals, 4.1%(p<0.05). In region C, it was clinics, 53.8% and followed by general hospitals, 35.0%; health center, 6.3%; and hospitals, 4.9%(p<0.05). Annual mean total medical expenses per patient was highest in region C(won195,993) and followed by region A(won191,683) and region B(won178,713). The proportion of the most proper care group was 7.7% in region A, 5.2% in region B and 6.7% in region C(p<0.05). According to the type of medical facilities for the first visit, the proportion of the most proper care group was highest(14.7%) in the patients of public health centers, and it was followed by general hospitals, 8.8%; clinics, 3.6%; and hospitals, 2.0% in region A(p<0.05). In region B, it was highest in general hospitals, 9.7% and followed by hospitals, 4.0%; health center, 3.6%; and clinics, 3.4%(p<0.05). In region C, it was highest in general hospitals, 10.1% and followed by clinics, 5.2%; hospitals, 4.1%; and health center, 3.1%(p<0.05). Conclusions: The proportion of proper care for hypertension was higher in rural area and it was attributed to the care of health center, sub-centers and community health posts which appeared to follow patients better than hospitals and clinics.