• Asia-pacific Journal of Multimedia Services Convergent with Art, Humanities, and Sociology
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• v.7 no.7
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• pp.599-608
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• 2017

This study investigated factors that are associated with companion animal ownership among urban elderly persons. This study was based on data from 2014 Seoul Survey, and a total of 4,717 people aged 60 years or older were selected for the analyses. Community level data were from 2014 Seoul statistics and they included park area per person, number of elderly recreational facilities, and number of public sports facilities based on 25 districts of Seoul Metropolitan City. This study examined differences between companion animal owners and non-owners concerning individual level factors and community level factors. Factors that are associated with companion animal ownership were examined using multilevel logistic regression analysis. Among individual level variables, companion animal ownership was associated with gender, marital status, income, number of household members, and housing type. Among community level variables, park area per person was a significant factor that is associated with companion animal ownership. Study findings can be used Based on study findings, implications of the study and directions for future research are discussed.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.49-69
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• 1997

The urgent needs to establish hospice care systems in Korea arise from the following reasons: 0) a drastic increase in chronically ill patients with the increase of aged population: (2) rapid changes in living environment from the traditional habitation (e. g., Many Koreans living in apartment complexes, which is the most popular form of modern residence in recent years, prefer to die in the hospital.): the overall increase in patients with advanced cancer: (4) recent trends in early discharge of terminally ill patients from the limited hospital facilities to accomodate other medical insurance beneficiaries; (5) easy acceptance of euthanasia owing to the recent social atmosphere that belittles the dignity of human life; (6) medical and nursing care of AIDS patient in terminal stage; (7) and the problem associated with inhumane medical care system, overtreatment, and groundless fears against narcotics. Terminally ill patients were used to be treated in the hospital in the past. In these days, however, they are forced to have home cares with little assistance from the qualified medical personnel because of insufficient hospital facilities, which are even short for the need of emergency patients and provide priority cares to medical insurance beneficiaries with other acute problems. And yet, neither are there any administrative organizations nor systematic medical studies that deal with the level of terminally ill patient's need, their family's problems and resources of hospice care systems in Korea. Thus, most patients are not able to get appropriate medical care at the terminal stage of their lives. The objective of this study is to make comprehensive database for various hospice care organization currently in operation, link them through medical information system, and develop an easily accessible hospice care model that meets the need of most Korean people. Our survey results may be summarized as follows: Nationally there are 40 organizations that provide partial or full hospice care. However, these organizations are not linked to any formal medical service network. Furthermore, the objective of hospice care, care principles, personnel with appropriate training, educational programs, standard for care, costs, consulting service to patients' family members, the extent of medical care from professional staff members, status of hospice facility, and management of those institutions are neither clearly defined nor organized compared to the international hospice care standards. The surveys on patients of terminal stage. grouped in hospice and non-hospice care patients. reveal what they want visiting nursing care to help their pain control. psychological. social and spiritual demands. While the more than 90% of hospice care patients want to reduce their pains. the non-hospice care patients. in addition to their desire for pain control. demanded more psychological. social and spiritual helps as well. The results of this research could be utilized to 0) define the standard of hospice care. (2) provide the guidance for hospice medical care costs. (3) establish the database of hospice care systems. (4) develop softwares. (5) build communication network through Medinet. and (6) provide an organized visiting home nursing care system. These information should be a valuable resource to many medical staffs who are involved in cancer therapy. nursing care. and social welfare programs.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.201-209
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• 2012

This study was conducted in order to empirically analyze factors affecting the quality of life in the elder resulting from the use of elderly leisure facilities in the community. For this purpose, we surveyed the elder using the senior health town of Gwang-ju Metropolitan City to see whether the quality of life in the elder is influenced by factors such as facilities' environment within the health town, the capacity for the staff and instructors, and the elders' satisfaction with programs. The results of this study are expected to provide practical solutions for enhancing the quality of life in senior users. The survey was performed with 1,038 elders aged over 60 who were using the senior health town of Gwang-ju Metropolitan City by using a self-administered questionnaire and being interviewed with surveyors. The period of the survey was from the 10th to 15th of December, 2010. According to the results of this study, variables affecting the elders' quality of life were academic qualification (B= .074, p<0.05), instructors satisfaction (B=.172, p<0.001), staff satisfaction (B=.104, p<0.01), and facilities and environment satisfaction (B=.217, p<0.001). That is, the lower academic background they have, the higher instructors', staff's, facilities and environment's satisfaction are, the quality of life in the elder was positively affected. In particular, facilities and environment's satisfaction show a relatively high effect and this suggests the necessity to modernize cultural and leisurely facilities in community for senior citizens and create pleasant environment in order to improve the quality of life in the elder.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was aimed to analyze how social workers understand the rights for elderly patient and family caregiver to make end-of-life (EOL) care decisions and their roles the decision making process. Methods: The study employed a quantitative research method of collecting data from a structured questionnaire that was filled out by 334 social workers at long-term care facilities. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, mean differences, correlation between variables, using SPSS 20.0 program. Results: The mean score for the understanding the rights to an EOL care decision was $3.46{\pm}0.69$ and of their own roles $3.48{\pm}0.84$. The level of understanding significantly differed by social workers' experience of assisting a process to make an EOL care decision such as advance directives and life sustaining treatment, work experience, and the number of beds. Positive correlation was observed between the level of understanding of the rights for EOL care decisions and of social workers' roles (Pearson r=0.329, P<0.001). Conclusion: This study proposes development of an education program for social workers and devising standards for the EOL care decision making process to protect elderly patients, family caregivers as well as social workers in a long term care facility.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.71-80
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• 2012

Objective : The objective of this research tried to know the differences about the perception of volunteering between the elderly group of seniors with experience of college's Department of Health Care Services and the elderly group of seniors without it. Method : We researched 79 people aged using the facilities for the elderly and the facilities for welfare for the aged from August 2010 to November 2010. Result : As a result of perception of the old according to whether to experience in services of students in the college of department of health care or not, the old (89%) of the whole person was positive. The perception of the volunteer of student in the department of health care was not a statistical difference between the old group with experience in volunteer service and the old group without it. The field that two groups want to be serviced was the highest in the department of rehabilitation. Conclusion : It is necessary for the university with the functions of social service to provide health and medical service to the old in the community through systematic training to meet their needs.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.517-526
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to provide convenience to the senior center staff and policy makers through a research of "Life satisfaction" in the senior centers with a systematic review and meta-analysis of the considerations of the elderly, published in foreign journals for the past 10 years. We searched published studies in the Medline Complete, Pub-med central and Scopus databases from January 2007 to November 2017. The main key words used "Elderly AND(And OR aged) AND Personal Satisfaction/ or life satisfaction" and out of 595 searched articles a total of 6 studies were selected. After qualitative analysis of the contents of the study, meta - analyzes were conducted for factors with more than three quantitative values. The factors affecting life satisfaction of the elderly were physical health (pooled effect size 0.582, p = .000), mental health (pooled effect size 0.423, p = .000), economic problems (r = .51, p =. 001), social activities, and daily living. It is expected that this study which provides an understanding of life satisfaction of the elderly would contribute to provide general information for developing social consensus on the employment in the super aging society should help improve the quality of welfare facilities for senior citizens in the future.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 1997

It is the developing policy of fishing village of korea that the fishermen are not to leave their fishing village by the construction of abandant and rich fishing village in the social, cultural and economic side of view. The government has promoted the project to improve the fishing and agrarian village from 1992 year, but it is not so helpful to solve the problem of the island and fishing village. Therefore, it has to improve the structure of fishing village and to develope the vital and lively fishing village, Japan had enacted the special law for the promotion of out-island which was called the law for the promotion of Ri-do isalnd, and commenced to develop the Ri-do island. The law for the promotion of Ri-do island is limited to 10 years, but it was amended 10 times and Japanese government has invested as many as budget to Ri-do isalnd during 30 years. Korean government also had enacted and enforced the special law for the promotion of out-isalnd developement referring to Japanese system. However, it is neccessary at first to improve the system that the fishing village is able to develope the fishing port in order to make higher the efficiency of investment. Moverover, the earning differentials bewteen the city and the fishing village has to decrease by the developement of transport convenience and pavement of the road of the out-isalnd and remote fishing village. Otherwise, it is requested rapidily to set up the welfare policy for the aged people because the inhabitants of fishing village become to great age, and inhabitants could be at least diagnose one time every week in the good medical facilities. The ministry of marine and fisheries has to permit the sports fishing business by the small fishing vessel in order to increase the income of inhabitants of fishing village and put a lot of the fishing reefs which are constructed to 2-3 story into the sea. And then the sports fishing business will be flourish by the small fishing vessel.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.417-433
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• 2010

Purpose: This study evaluated the manpower planning of dental technicians. Methods: Methods : Survey was conducted regarding subject's general characteristics, characteristics of dental technician's occupational view and working conditions, and reason to enter into branches of the public health enter. The survey sample consisted of 323 dental technicians (221 male/ 102 female). Survey was conducted for one month from August 1 to September 1 in 2010. Following results were obtained. Results: 1. Regarding general characteristics of the subjects, there was a slight male predilection with 68.4%. Subjects in their 40s occupied the highest proportion of 32.2%. Majority of subjects worked in the big cities (71.5%). Favored working places were dental laboratory (57.6%) and dental hospital or dental clinic (19.5%). Although no position is available in the public sector such as public health center or health care civil servant, 9.3% preferred working in the public health center. Public sector is more favored than 2-year technical colleges or dental supply and equipment companies. In respect to education, 57% of the subjects graduated college. 67.8% were married. Subjects who specialize in the porcelain or all-ceramic were 57.9%. With regard to current position, head of the dental laboratory was most common. 2. Following occupation characteristics were found. Economic reason took the highest proportion when deciding their occupation (39.9%) followed by gaining social experience (36.5%). Majority of the subjects (76.5%) wanted to work as dental technicians until their retirement. 71.5% pursuit to become a manager of the dental laboratory. 76.1% agreed on opening a dental technician position in the public health center. Regarding an authority to lead developing the dental technician position in the public sector, majority of the subject chose ministry of health and welfare (35.6%) and Korean dental technologist association (34.7%). Employment (average, 30%) and turnover rate (average, 36.5%) of dental technology college graduates ranged from 40% to 60%. Most important factors for the employment were practical experience (41.2%) and competency (34.4%). With regard to job satisfaction, so-so as 46.7% and satisfactory was 42.7% 3. In respect to the reason for opening a position in the public health center, 'It is needed to continue denture rogram for elderly patients' obtained the highest score (4.14 point). 'Institutional devices are required to open a position for dental technicians as a public healthcare provider' received high score (4.11 point). 4. Concerning the working conditions, 'professional knowledge is required' received the highest score (4.23) followed by 'too short maternity and parental leave' (4.21). 5. Relationship between general characteristics of the subjects and favor of working in the public health center was investigated. Significant differences were found according to the current and favored working area, favored occupation, education level, marital status, and specialty. Working in the public health center was favored by following subjects: working in mid- or small-sized cities (4.16 point, p<0.05); PhD degree-holder (4.59 point, p<0.01). 6. Among general characteristics of the subjects, significant difference of working conditions was found in the following factors: gender; working areas; favored working areas; favored working positions, and education level. Majority of subjects favored working in big cities and currently work in big cities although satisfaction was comparatively low (3.75 score). 7. Future plan to work in public health center was evaluated according to occupational characteristics. Subject's intention to work in the public healthcare center was significantly affected by opening of dental technician position, leading authority, average turnover rate, and factors affecting employment. Working in the public health care center was favored by the following subjects: Dental technicians who actively supported opening of the dental technician position (4.34 point, p<0.001); subjects who thought the Korean dental technologist association is responsible for the opening of positions in the public sector (4.26 point, p<0.001); and subjects who thought that attitude and character are important for the employment (p<0.001). 8. Concerning difference of working conditions according to the occupational characteristics, significant difference was demonstrated by factors such as a reason to choose to be a dental technician, work plan, pursuing position, responsible authority, average employment rate, and job satisfaction. High standard of working conditions was required in subjects who selected to be a dental technician for the leisure time after work (s.05 point, p<0.01), who planted to work until their marriage (4.25 point, p<0.001), and who pursuit to be a manager (3.98, p<0.05). 9. In respect to influence of general characteristics on the advancement to public health centers, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.068 and age affected the working condition with significant difference according to the pvalue. 10. Regarding influence of general characteristics on the advancement to public health centers, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.335 and work plan, opening of dental technician position in the public sector, and responsible authority had significant influence over the subject's intention to work in the public health center according to the p-value. 11. With regard to the influence of general characteristics on the advancement to public health centers, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.091 and reason to choose to be a dental technician, work plan, and responsible authority significantly affected subject's working conditions. Conclusion: Korean society is becoming a super-aged society according to several statistics. As aged population is rapidly increasing, national health insurance plans to cover denture for senior citizen over 75 years old from 2012. Therefore, dental technicians are urgently needed in the public health centers all over the nation. Many subjects in this study planed to work until their retirement and recognized dental technician's expertise. Ministry of health and welfare and Korean dental technologist association should co-operate each other to prepare foundation and institutional devices for dental technicians to advance into the public health center. This will improve oral health of the population. This study showed urgency of medical facilities and services which meets increasing number of aged population and welfare of the population.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.62-76
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• 2003

This study was a quasi-experimental study of non-equivalent control group pretest and posttest design. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Tai Chi exercise program on physical functions, psychological functions, and fall among the fall-prone elderly. The data were collected from September 19, 2001 to January 31, 2002. The study, conducted at two facilities located in Kwang-ju, was targeted to the ambulatory aged 60 years or older who had at least one of the key fall risk factors. Experimental group participated in Tai Chi exercise for 40 minutes per one time and three times a week for 12weeks at an auditorium. Fifty nine fall-prone elderly were assigned to 12-week Tai Chi exercise program (n=29) and control group (n=30). They underwent tests of lower muscle strength, time for chair stand, balance, flexibility, depression, falls efficacy, fear of falling, and numbers of fall at the baseline and at the 12th week. Numbers of fall and fall injuries were monitored for 16 weeks(12-weeks intervention plus 4-week follow-up periods) using fall calendar. Each participant was given a calendar to record the numbers of fall per day for a month. The calendars were collected at the last week of each month. 1. Tai Chi exercisers showed significant improvement in the strength of knee flexors, and ankle dorsiflexors and plantarflexors compared to the control group. The experimental group had improvement in the strength of knee extensors while the control group did not, with no statistical significance. 2. Tai Chi exercisers reported positive change in the average time of chair stand as compared to the control group. 3. Tai Chi exercisers had significant improvement in flexibility as compared to the control group. 4. There was no significant difference in the depression between the two groups, even though the Tai Chi exercisers maintained depression score in the same level while the others were increased. 5. Tai Chi exercisers showed significant improvements in the falls efficacy as compared to the control group. The falls efficacy was significantly improved among the experimental group while the opposite was identified among the control group. 6. The experimental group reported the significant reduction of the fear of fall, whereas control group reported the opposite. 7. Of the 59 subjects for 16weeks(12weeks intervention period and 4weeks follow up), 9 (31.0%) of the 29 in exercise group and 15 (50%) of the 30 in the control group fell (relative risk=0.62. 95% CI 0.32-1.19), even with no statistical difference. The results suggest that the Tai Chi exercise program can improve the strength of knee flexors, ankle dorsiflexors and plantarflexors, chair stand. flexibility, falls efficacy, and fear of falling for the fall-prone elderly.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.27-45
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• 1990

Two opposing views prevail regarding the economic impact of rural out-migration on the rural areas of origin. The optimistic neoclassical view argues that rapid rural out-migration is not detrimental to the income and welfare of the rural areas of origin, whereas Lipton (1980) argues the opposite. We developed our own alternative model for rural to urban migration, appropriate for rapidly developing economies such as Korea's. This model, which adopts international trade theories of nontraded goods and Dutch Disease to rural to urban migration issues, argues that rural to urban migration is caused mainly by two factors: first, the unprofitability of farming, and second, the decrease in demand for rural nontraded goods and the increase in demand for urban nontraded goods. The unprofitability of farming is caused by the increase in rural wages, which is induced by increasing urban wages in booming urban manufacturing sectors, and by the fact that the cost increases in farming cannot be shifted to consumers, because farm prices are fixed worldwide and because the income demand elasticity for farm products is very low. The demand for nontraded goods decreases in rural and increases in urban areas because population density and income in urban areas increase sharply, while those in rural areas decrease sharply, due to rapid rural to urban migration. Given that the market structure for nontraded goods-namely, service sectors including educational and health facilities-is mostly in monopolistically competitive, and that the demand for nontraded goods comes only from local sources, the urban service sector enjoys economies of scale, and can thus offer services at cheaper prices and in greater variety, whereas the rural service sector cannot enjoy the advantages offered by scale economies. Our view concerning the economic impact of rural to urban migration on rural areas of origin agrees with Lipton's pessimistic view that rural out-migration is detrimental to the income and welfare of rural areas. However, our reasons for the reduction of rural income are different from those in Lipton's model. Lipton argued that rural income and welfare deteriorate mainly because of a shortage of human capital, younger workers and talent resulting from selective rural out-migration. Instead, we believe that rural income declines, first, because a rapid rural-urban migration creates a further shortage of farm labor supplies and increases rural wages, and thus reduces further the profitability of farming and, second, because a rapid rural-urban migration causes a further decline of the rural service sectors. Empirical tests of our major hypotheses using Korean census data from 1966, 1970, 1975, 1980 and 1985 support our own model much more than the neoclassical or Lipton's models. A kun (county) with a large out-migration had a smaller proportion of younger working aged people in the population, and a smaller proportion of highly educated workers. But the productivity of farm workers, measured in terms of fall crops (rice) purchased by the government per farmer or per hectare of irrigated land, did not decline despite the loss of these youths and of human capital. The kun having had a large out-migration had a larger proportion of the population in the farm sector and a smaller proportion in the service sector. The kun having had a large out-migration also had a lower income measured in terms of the proportion of households receiving welfare payments or the amount of provincial taxes paid per household. The lower incomes of these kuns might explain why the kuns that experienced a large out-migration had difficulty in mechanizing farming. Our policy suggestions based on the tests of the currently prevailing hypotheses are as follows: 1) The main cause of farming difficulties is not a lack of human capital, but the in­crease in production costs due to rural wage increases combined with depressed farm output prices. Therefore, a more effective way of helping farm economies is by increasing farm output prices. However, we are not sure whether an increase in farm output prices is desirable in terms of efficiency. 2) It might be worthwhile to attempt to increase the size of farmland holdings per farm household so that the mechanization of farming can be achieved more easily. 3) A kun with large out-migration suffers a deterioration in income and welfare. Therefore, the government should provide a form of subsidization similar to the adjustment assistance provided for international trade. This assistance should not be related to the level of farm output. Otherwise, there is a possibility that we might encourage farm production which would not be profitable in the absence of subsidies. 4) Government intervention in agricultural research and its dissemination, and large-scale social overhead projects in rural areas, carried out by the Korean government, might be desirable from both efficiency and equity points of view. Government interventions in research are justified because of the problems associated with the appropriation of knowledge, and government actions on large-scale projects are justified because they required collective action.