• The Journal of Information Systems
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.105-129
• /
• 2013

Recently, since the interest with well-being has been getting higher than ever, people want reliable source of information related with health and medical treatment. Because of the characteristics of information related with medical care, there have been difficulties to find the information from books, television and internet surfing, for treating disease. Misinformation that can be obtained when considering dangerous situations or side effects, the role of the e-Health system is becoming more important. The objective of this study is an analysis of correlation and effect among patient's information need, e-Health system use and system outcome. To achieve the object of this study, e-Health system had been given to patients of breast cancer in Wisconsin and Detroit for 16 weeks. As a result, 282 sample was gathered and modified to meet purpose of the study. As a result, the information needs of patients due to the performance of the e-Health systems and shown to affect even the perception of patients' emotional and physical health and social support.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.341-352
• /
• 2006

This study examined health-functional foods intake pattern of consumers and their recognition of it to prepare a guide for the foods. The data were collected from the adults living in Busan and Gyeongnam through a self-administered questionnaire from September sixth to September thirteenth, 2005. The results of this study were as follows: Most respondents have taken one health-functional food, mainly on purpose to maintain and improve overall health condition. The average of monthly cost to purchase the foods was 79,933 Korean won, and drugstores were the main purchasing place. The value perception about health-functional foods was at the middle, and the recognition level of Health Functional Foods Act established in 2002 was very low. The most important source of information regarding health-functional foods was family, relatives and friends, and two-fifths respondents had difficulties in obtaining information. These results imply that consumers should consult with experts before they take health-functional foods and that public information regarding Health Functional Foods Act should be given to consumers.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.303-313
• /
• 2013

During last 65 years, Korea has achieved very rapid economic growth and social reformation including healthcare system. Many foreigners have praised that Korea healthcare system is very good in the respect of ease accessibility to healthcare under the lowest cost among the industrialized countries. Whole population are covered by the National Health Insurance. Also utilizations of healthcare among different income classes are even. However Korea healthcare system faced with several challenges, in terms of the an aging population and a rise in chronic disease problem, new threats of communicable disease due to globalization, the rapid increase of healthcare expenditure and high financial burden of patients even though they are insured. To cope with these challenges, we need reconsider the healthcare system as followings; to set up ideology of healthcare as normative public goods, to rebuild paradigm of healthcare for 21 century, to reform public health for strengthening health promotion, to develop new method for healthcare management including quality improvement and consumer responsiveness, to build new governance for health and to view new perspective on healthcare as a kind of industry.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.21-27
• /
• 2024

The purpose of this study is to identify the sociocultural aspects of zero-calorie beverage consumption among young Koreans. Through an interview methodology, this study explores the perceptions of zero-calorie beverages, consumption behavior, and the important role of zero-calorie beverages in identity formation. The study uniquely integrates theories from health psychology, sociology, and cultural studies to analyze the complex interplay between individual health beliefs, social norms, and evolving cultural trends. The results show that the choice of zero-calorie beverages is heavily influenced by health consciousness, pervasive appearance culture, social media dynamics, and shifting workplace paradigms. Participants had a nuanced view of these drinks as both a "healthy alternative" and an "artificial product," reflecting the deep ambivalence that characterizes modern consumer society. Importantly, we found that the consumption of zero-calorie beverages serves as a means of sophisticated self-expression and impression management, acting as a form of cultural capital. This study makes a significant contribution to our understanding of health behavior in specific sociocultural contexts and provides important insights for health policy makers, marketing strategists. The study emphasizes that a multidisciplinary approach is essential in studying contemporary food and beverage consumption patterns, which have far-reaching implications for public health efforts and social epidemiology at home and abroad.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.153-167
• /
• 2018

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify differences in dietary behaviors, dietary life consumer education related situation competencies, and dietary lifestyles between baby-boom and echo generations by gender. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2016 Food Consumption Behavior Survey, and 2,474 subjects (baby-boom generation 1,304; echo generation 1,170) were selected. Results: The baby-boom generation more frequently ate meals at home with family than the echo generation, whereas the echo generation had meals more frequently at cafeterias, cafes, bakeries, convenience stores and with friends or colleagues than the baby-boom generation. However, no significant differences in dietary life related consumer education were observed between generations, and experience with food related consumer education and food related promotional/events was very low in general. Baby-boomers received their primary dietary information from surrounding people, whereas the echo generation received it from broadcasting. The information use competence was lower for the baby-boom generation (3.29) than echo generation (3.35), although this difference was not significant. Healthy dietary life competence did not differ significantly, whereas the baby-boom generation showed a higher level of practice competence than the echo generation. Additionally, the baby-boom generation was more likely to pursuit health and less likely to be concerned with convenience and taste quality than the echo generation. Conclusion: The frequencies of meal eating places, drinking, and eating-out differed significantly between the two generations, while the participation ratios of food related consumer education/events, attitudes toward education, and information use competence did not. Additionally, knowledge regarding healthy dietary life competencies did not differ, whereas practice level showed significant differences between generations. Among dietary lifestyles, the baby-boom generation showed higher pursuit of health and lower pursuit of convenience and taste quality than the echo generation.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.55-74
• /
• 2024

This study examines how consumer attitudes toward food origin and health concerns influence beef purchasing behavior. Using data from the Korea Rural Economic Institute's food consumption behavior survey, we analyzed the frequency of purchasing domestic and imported beef. Results indicate that when not distinguishing between domestic and imported beef, perceptions of lower origin quality and higher health concerns are associated with an increase in purchasing frequency. However, such influences are statistically insignificant for imported beef. Further analysis reveals that for consumers exclusively purchasing domestic beef, these factors do not significantly impact purchasing frequency, while for consumers simultaneously purchasing both domestic and imported beef, these factors do significantly impact purchasing frequency.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.178-183
• /
• 2012

We investigated the latest trend of u-Health and relations with clinical technologist. Since 2000, Korea has become an aging society. Korea will become an aged society by 2018, and it is expected to enter the ultra-high aged society by 2026. Increase in over 65 years population means that the desire of medical service and care demand for the elderly is greatly required. In addition, many predicted Korean national health insurance would falter financially. Medical suppression policies and regulations are also amended continuously. U-Health based on the IT industry and development of related technologies and industries contains the variety concepts of telemedicine, telehealth, e-health, u-healthcare and POCT. Especially, the use of POCT supplied quick clinical examination is extending steadily in medical center and hospital, which will generate the field friction between nurses and medical technologists. In the transition situation from provider-centric service to consumer-driven health care system, this study recommended the principal role and correspondence of clinical laboratory workers and offered information about changes in healthcare market and the basic concept of expert system, measurement and the diagnosis principle to clinical technicians throughout the investigation of the recent research and government policy trends.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.227-261
• /
• 2015

Cooperative associations are established in order to enhance the rights and the interests of their members and serve the local communities, and actually do much for the local society. And among these, consumer cooperatives are spontaneously founded, particularly in the spirit of mutual help, in order to promote the common welfare of the members. Meanwhile, because the current medical law qualifys noncommercial corporation to open medical institution, consumer cooperative and noncommercial- corporation cooperative which are established under the Cooperative Act have the right to do. However, though cooperative association should be founded for common interests of the members who are weaker parties of society, it became rapidly to be abused as means of circumvention of law. Especially as National Health Insurance Corporation stepped up the investigation and the collection of unfair profits against the hospital owned by non-medical personnel who are unable to establish a medical institution, setting up medical institutions as a roundabout way to avoid the restricts dramatically increased in number. In this study, we are going to introduce the current dualised normative system regulating the establishment of a medical cooperative association, and find a way to improve the system and make up for the week points. And we will look though the present situation about medical cooperative association's opening, operating, and closing, and review the normative and systematic improving plans.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.835-848
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to find efficient and customized tools for delivering the benefit of health functional foods (HFFs). Delivery tools which could influence the impact of advertising were images, explanations of ingredients, diagrams of health benefit, patents, and comments from authority. Six advertisements were developed using these tools: "A": relevant image + explanation of ingredients + scientific diagram of efficacy; "B": relevant image + explanation of ingredients; "C": relevant image; "D": irrelevant image; "E": irrelevant image + explanation of ingredient + patent; "F": irrelevant image + explanation of ingredient + comments from authority. To analyze the consumer perceptions on HFFs and advertisement effects, 300 respondents were requested to answer a questionnaire comprising of the following questions: 5 questions of attitudes (necessity of HFFs, trust in HFFs, gathering information, watching advertisements and trust in advertisement claims) and 6 questions on the 6 developed advertisements (attention, understanding, sufficiency of information, sympathy, trust, and purchase). Scoring was done as per the 5 Likert scale. There was a higher proportion of females and the elderly, as compared to males and youngsters. The overall consumer attitudes were positive. Explanation of ingredients, scientific diagram of health benefit, patents and expert comments were helpful factors in increasing the advertisement evaluation by consumer, but the images were not. Advertisement evaluation of consumer did not differ with gender and age. However, differences were observed between some of the consumer attitudes (necessity of HFFs, trust in HFFs, gathering information and trust in advertisements claim) and advertisement evaluations (attention, understanding, sympathy and purchase). Our results indicate that for consumers utilizing the HFFs, advertisements with concrete tools such as diagrams, patent, and expert comments are more helpful. However, for consumers who do not have interest in HFFs, the scientific information was irrelevant. We believe that to maximize the effect of health information in advertisements, consumers should be segmented, and customized tools for each segment needs to be developed.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.463-471
• /
• 2012

Objective of this study is to provide basic information for developing more differentiated and targeted forest healing policy and Korean medical healing programs grounded on consumer preference for forest based Korean medical healing tourism products. The internet survey(CAWI) by percentage quota sampling with 400 Seoulite ages over 30 by the age, area, and gender was conducted, and 317 samples were used for a final analysis. 61.5% of the Seoulite associated 'forest bath/walking in the woods/tree' with an image of a forest based Korean medical healing tourism product, and preference for the product and the intention to use were positive at the percentages of 72.9% and 67.5%, respectively. Preferred areas were Seoul/Gyeonggi-do(53.5%) and Gangwon-do(38.8%). 'Stress solving and refreshment', 'taking a forest bath and a walk', and 'maintaining and promoting health' were the main purposes of the use. As for a therapy, 'walking therapy' was most preferred, and 'ergotherapy' was the next. First priority as for a use facility was 'healing trail', and 'professional medical facility' ranked second. Although important decision attributes were ' cost of use', 'food', and 'friendliness of medical staff', all the other sets of attributes related to use convenience, quality of medical service and tourism activities also recorded high, which forecasts higher consumer expectation for the product. As the result showing differences in consumer preference by the demographic segmentation, differentiated and segmented consumer needs should be considered when planing and managing a product. The scope of the study is limited to a demographic segmentation which is a basic stage of understanding consumer preference, therefore more detailed future researches on complicated and multi-dimensional consumer needs are required.