• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2019

Objectives: The Regional Cardiocerebrovascular Center (RCCVC) Project designated local teaching hospitals as RCCVCs, in order to improve patient outcomes of acute cardiocerebrovascular emergencies by founding a regional system that can adequately transfer and manage patients within 3 hours. We investigated the effects of RCCVC establishment on treatment volume and 30-day mortality. Methods: We constructed a panel dataset by extracting all acute myocardial infarction cases that occurred from 2007 to 2016 from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service claims data, a national and representative source. We then used a panel fixed-effect model to estimate the impacts of RCCVC establishment on patient outcomes. Results: We found that the number of cases of acute myocardial infarction that were treated increased chronologically, but when the time effect and other related covariates were controlled for, RCCVCs only significantly increased the number of treatment cases of female in large catchment areas. There was no statistically significant impact on 30-day mortality. Conclusions: The establishment of RCCVCs increased the number of treatment cases of female, without increasing the mortality rate. Therefore, the RCCVCs might have prevented potential untreated deaths by increasing the preparedness and capacity of hospitals to treat acute myocardial infarction patients.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.27-39
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to review recent findings from birth cohort studies on maternal and child environmental health. Methods: Birth cohort studies regarding environmental health outcomes for mothers and their children were investigated through a systematic review. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Embase, and RISS to identify published studies using the keywords using a combination of the following keywords: maternal exposure, environmental exposure, health, cohort, and birth cohort. Articles were searched and a quality appraisal using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cohort studies was done. Results: A review of the 14 selected studies revealed that prenatal and early life exposure to environmental pollutants had negative impacts on physical, cognitive, and behavioral development among mothers and children up to 12 years later. Environmental pollutants included endocrine disruptors, air pollution (e.g., particulate matter), and heavy metals. Conclusion: This systematic review demonstrated that exposure to environmental pollutants negatively influences maternal and children's environmental health outcomes from pregnancy to the early years of life. Therefore, maternal health care professionals should take steps to reduce mothers' and children's exposure to environmental pollutants.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.31.1-31.10
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• 2023

Background: With modernization, air pollution has become increasingly serious, and its effects on health have been revealed. As a result, public interest in environmental pollution has become critical for regulating air pollution. In our study, we aim to evaluate the impact of air pollution levels on public attention to environmental issues and examine whether awareness of the residential environment's impact on health acts as a mediator in this relationship. Methods: We conducted an analysis on 400 individuals surveyed in the preliminary feasibility study on adverse health effects in the Pohang Industrial Complex, to examine the relationship between particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and attention to environmental issues. Logistic regression analysis was performed, and mediation analysis was used to determine whether awareness of the residential environment's impact on health mediated the relationship. Results: The logistic regression analysis results showed that PM2.5 levels were associated with attention to environmental issues (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-3.5; p = 0.003) and awareness of health impacts (AOR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.6-7.1; p = 0.001). The PM2.5 levels showed 9.9% (95% CI: 5.4-14.0) increase in the prevalence of high attention to environmental issues, of which, only 1.0% (95% CI: 0.2-2.3) were mediated by health impact awareness. In the overall analysis, 10% of the total effect of PM2.5 on attention to environmental issues was mediated by health impact awareness. Conclusions: According to this study's results, there was a correlation between air pollution levels and attention to environmental issues. Awareness of the health impacts of air pollution partially mediated the effect of air pollution levels on attention to environmental issues. In future studies, it is recommended to identify other mediators to further understand this structure.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.571-577
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• 2006

Health benefits from implementing air quality control measures were assessed using the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP). BenMAP developed by US EPA is a GIS-based software tool that estimates the health impacts and associated economic values connected with changes in ambient air pollution. Once a set of BenMAP-required data was collected, the health benefits from implementing Seoul Air Quality Management Plan (SAQMP), an official AQ improvement plan for Seoul Metropolitan Area, was assessed using BenMAP. The PM10 concentrations assuming the SAQMP implemented successfully were predicted with the MM5 (Mesoscale Meteorological model version 5)/CMAQ (Community Multiscale Air Quality) model. A PM 10 exposure related premature mortality function was adopted trom a well-known epidemiology study. Economic valuation functions driven from benefit transfer methods were utilized. Through the SAQMP, PM10 concentrations were estimated to be lowered by $15{\mu}g/m^3\;to\;75{\mu}g/m^3$ depending on air quality modeling grids. 5,569 premature deaths (95% CI $3,264{\sim}7,809$ deaths) could be avoided in the Seoul Metropolitan Area. The economic value of the deaths avoided was estimated to $13.2 billion $(95%\;CI\;$890\;million{\sim}$28.2\;billion)$ using the benefit transfer value. BenMAP could be a useful tool for developing effective air quality improvement policy, enabling the policy makers to anticipate the effects of regulatory changes on people's health and the economy.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2021

This study aims to examine the effect of integrated health and welfare(IHW) services on medical use and medical expenses in Korean Veteran Hospitals. Data on the volume of medical use and medical expenses were collected from two patient groups of 5 Veterans' Hospitals: the beneficiary group who has received IHW services and the non-beneficiary group who has not. Each group was composed of 265 patients respectively. The results of the study revealed that the volume of home nursing services, home rehabilitation services, ambulatory services have increased significantly, whereas the average length of stay, number of using emergency services, and average medical expenses have decreased after receiving integrated health services in the beneficiary group. In contrast, the non-beneficiary group showed much more increase both in the volume of inpatient and outpatient services, as well as the average medical expenses, compared to those of the beneficiary group. This results imply that the provision of IHW services have positive impacts on the enhancing the effectiveness of the medical resources utilization for the veteran patients.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.515-522
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• 2023

Objectives: The pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has exerted an unprecedented impact on the health of populations worldwide. However, the adverse health consequences of the pandemic in terms of infection and mortality rates have varied across countries. In this study, we investigate whether COVID-19 mortality rates across a group of developed nations are associated with characteristics of their healthcare systems, beyond the differential policy responses in those countries. Methods: To achieve the study objective, we distinguished healthcare systems based on the extent of healthcare decommodification. Using available daily data from 2020, 2021, and 2022, we applied quantile regression with non-additive fixed effects to estimate mortality rates across quantiles. Our analysis began prior to vaccine development (in 2020) and continued after the vaccines were introduced (throughout 2021 and part of 2022). Results: The findings indicate that higher testing rates, coupled with more stringent containment and public health measures, had a significant negative impact on the death rate in both pre-vaccination and post-vaccination models. The data from the post-vaccination model demonstrate that higher vaccination rates were associated with significant decreases in fatalities. Additionally, our research indicates that countries with healthcare systems characterized by high and medium levels of decommodification experienced lower mortality rates than those with healthcare systems involving low decommodification. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that stronger public health infrastructure and more inclusive social protections have mitigated the severity of the pandemic's adverse health impacts, more so than emergency containment measures and social restrictions.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.31-62
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• 2018

Using matching and difference-in-differences estimation method, this study estimates causal effects of health shocks on employment and income of full-time workers aged 40-55. Acute hospital admissions lower significantly the employment probability and earnings. The changes in employment and earnings persist up to three years after the health shock. The economic impacts of health shocks vary by socioeconomic status and job characteristics among individuals. Irregular workers are more likely to leave their jobs after health shocks than regular workers. Among irregular workers, the probability of leaving labor market after health shock decreases with the size of the firm.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.218-227
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• 2023

Background: Since 2019, the Ministry of Environment has implemented a seasonal fine dust management system from December to March, targeting high PM_2.5 levels with the aim of reducing PM_2.5 concentrations and protecting public health. The focus of improving the seasonal management system lies in the atmospheric PM_2.5 levels. Considering the primary goal of protecting public health, it is necessary to analyze the policy effects from an exposure perspective rather than a concentration-based approach. Objectives: This study aims to quantitatively assess the improvement of indoor PM_2.5 levels and the health impacts of the seasonal management system by comparing the periods before and during its implementation in residential environments. Methods: PM_2.5 concentrations within residential environments in a metropolitan area were measured using an optical particle counter (IAQ-C7, K-weather, Ltd, Korea) at one-minute intervals during the pre-implementation period (November 21~25, 2022) and during the implementation period (December 19~23, 2022). Based on the measured PM_2.5 concentrations, a quantitative evaluation of cancer and mortality risks was conducted according to age and gender. Results: The results of comparing indoor and outdoor PM_2.5 concentrations before and during the implementation of the seasonal management system showed a decrease of approximately 56.6% and 47.9%, respectively. Health risk assessments revealed that both the safety-limit-based and safety-target-based Hazard Quotients (HQ) exceeded the threshold of 0.1 for children under 19 years of age, both before and after the implementation. The mortality risk decreased by approximately 47.9% after the implementation, with children aged 0-9 showing the highest mortality risk at 0.9%. Conclusions: The findings of this study confirmed the positive health impacts of the seasonal management system across all age groups, particularly children under 19 who are more vulnerable to fine dust exposure.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.219-229
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• 2012

In these days, the interest on medical industry is increasing around the world. This paper attempts to estimate the economic effects of the medical and measuring instrument industry through the Input-Output Analysis. Especially, 78*78 Sector Tables were used as the first analysis tool. So then, 79*79 Sector Tables adjusted were used for that industry. The main analysis tools of this study are comparing and analyzing backward and forward linkage effect, the induced effect of the self industry and other industries and the induced coefficients such as products, value-added, employee's pay, sales surplus, employment. According to the result of analysis, the medical and measuring instrument industry has great economic impacts which affects the major macroeconomic factors such as production and backward linkage effect. And the induced effects of the self medical and measuring instrument industry are significant compared to other industries in aspects of production, employee's pay and sales surplus.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.265-278
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• 2015

Objective:To study the sources of indoor noise, its effects on human health, noise assessment and regulation through the use of standards, and techniques used to reduce noise. Background: Noise significantly affects the living environment, and there are an increasing number of reports of its impacts on human health. Method: We reviewed domestic and foreign data regarding environmental noise, and examined its effects and the standards used to regulate noise levels. Results: We describe the major sources of indoor noise and suggest possible legal standards, as well as recommended criteria for the control of noise. Conclusion: South Korea has higher legal standards of environmental noise than international standards in terms of threshold values. People in Korea are exposed to various sources of noise, and therefore the reduction of noise is urgently required. Application: Depending on the features of indoor spaces, an appropriate degree of indoor noise can be determined and techniques to reduce excess noise are required.