• Health Policy and Management
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.21-35
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• 2009

Limited studies examined Medical Aid recipients' perception for amount of medical use. This study aimed to identify self-perception(optimal, under and overutilization) for amount, and real amount of medical use, and to determine factors associated with the perception. Subjects were 2,489 Medical Aid recipients among top 2% overusers in 2005. 200 case managers(CM) managing them conducted survey. CM interviewed them using 2005 medical claiming data from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service and structured questionnaire. Despite of overusers, perception of overutilization was only 26.9% and 23.6% in Class I and Class II, and that of underutilization was 21.4% and 18.7% respectively. In Class I, monthly total outpatient cost per capita of overutilization perception in 2006 was 206 thousand won higher than 150 thousand won of optimal utilization. Amounts of outpatient visit-days and prescribed cases of overutilization perception were higher than those of optimal and underutilization(p <0.0001). In Class II, overutilization perception had more prescribed cases(p 0.004). After adjustment of confounding factors including age and sex, the associated factors(odds ratio) with overutilization perception were hypertension(1.25), arthritis(1.32), depression(1.66), visit of multi medical institutions(3.09), and those of the underutilization were female(1.34), disabled(1.27), no family support(1.49), living in medium and small city(1.48), experience of unabled-visit to medical institution(2.54), frequent visit-recommendation from physician (1.36). In conclusion, education and consult are needed for subjects to improve the reasonable decision of medical use, and the self-care ability to manage diseases and symptoms. We suggest reinforcing the alternative service in community instead of costly medical institution.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.264-272
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• 2015

Background: The over-prescription of acid-suppressive therapy for the provision of stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) in hospitalized patients has been identified in a proceeding study. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate clinicians' beliefs, knowledge and other factors that influence the over-prescribing of SUP in low-risk, non-intensive care unit (non-ICU) patients. Method: A cross-sectional survey consisting of multiple-choice queries and close-ended questions was distributed to healthcare personnel at a major teaching hospital in Korea. Results: More than half of total respondents reported that they would continue SUP following patients discharge from the ICU (77.8%, 43.5%, and 39.7% in the physician, pharmacist, and nurse groups, respectively). Over 55% of physicians would also initiate non-ICU patients on SUP upon hospital admission, and 42.6% of physicians would even continue prophylaxis post hospital discharge. The mean knowledge score regarding SUP indications and side effects was higher in pharmacists compared to physicians and nurses (12.44, 7.40, and 7.28, respectively; p<0.001). High-prescribing behavior was associated with a prescriber's belief that SUP is effective for preventing bleeding (odds ratio 7.40; 95% confidence interval 1.57 to 31.94; p=0.012). Low knowledge score and computerized order set also showed statistically significant association with the overutilization of SUP.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.53-65
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• 1971

It is well known that diabetes mellitus is associated with metabolic derangements, such as hyper-glycemia, ketosis, glycosuria, and also widespread alterations in the blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, peripheral nerves and heart. It is also recognized that healing of skin wound is delayed in diabetics. In bone, according to Aegerter, osteopenia develops in diabetes mellitus and it is chiefly ascribed to overutilization of protein. Shim claims that total blood flow to the entire skeletal system is approximately 4 to 8 percent of resting cardiac output and blood supply to the skeletal system would be decreased on account of secondary arteriosclerotic changes in the diabetics. An adequate blood supply is an essential factor in the healing process of fracture, and disturbed blood flow, either local or systemic, will invariably delay union of the fragments or the fragments from being fused. As the author has encountered several cases of diabetics in whom healing of fracture was delayed or incomplete, this experimental study was undertaken to elucidate the effects of hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus on the healing process of fracture. In this experiment adult albino rabbits, weighing about 2 kg. were used and divided into 6 groups. The femur of each animal was fractured surgically, and then the healing process of fracture was periodically checked by radiography at an interval of one week for a period of 6 weeks. Thereafter, all the rabbits were killed to obtain tissue preparation of the femur. The experimental groups were as follows; 1) Control group: Six rabbits sustained a surgical fracture to the femur, without being given any other treatment or drug. 2) Alloxan-treated group: For inducing diabetes, alloxan was given intravenously to 17 rabbits in various dose as follows; to 7 of them 40 mg/kg, to 6 rabbits 80 mg/kg and to 4 rabbits 120 mg/kg of body weight, respectively. 3) Insulin-treated group: Protamine-zinc insulin was injected subcutaneously to each of 6 rabbits in a daily dose of 1 unit per kilogram of body weight. 4) Group treated with insulin after alloxan: Four rabbits were given 80 mg of alloxan once and than 1 unit of insulin per kilogram of body weight daily. Another 5 rabbits were injected 1 unit of insulin per kg of body weight daily following administration of alloxan in a dose of 120 mg/kg. 5) Homotransplantation group: Following intravenous injection of alloxan in a dose of 120 mg/kg, 10 rabbits underwent homotransplantation of a short bone segment to the femur. Five of them were subsequently given 1 unit/kg of insulin daily. 6) Sugar-treated group: six rabbits were fed $15{\sim}20$ gm of sugar daily throughout the period of experiment. The results obtained are summarized as follows; 1. Blood sugar level and damage to the pancreatic islet increased proportionately when alloxan was given to the rabbits in various doses. No appreciable change could be observed in the islets when the blood sugar level was altered by either oral administration of sugar or subcutaneous injection of insulin. 2. Comparing with the control group, healing of fracture was delayed in the alloxan-treated group, while callus formation and periosteal reaction were shown to be more prominent in this group and subsequently, the ultimate osseous tissue formed at the fracture site was significantly smaller in amount and less compact. These findings were more marked as the amount of alloxan increased. 3. Administration of insulin prevented the delay in healing process of fracture in the rabbits with alloxan-induced hyperglycemia. In this case, the course and progression of fracture healing were almost similar to those of control group. 4. Union between the host bone and the fragment transplanted from other rabbit of the same species was more delayed in the group treated with alloxan alone than in the group to which insulin was administered after development of alloxan-induced diabetes. In both groups periosteal new bone developed from the ends of the host bone, above and below the transplanted fragment, and directly fused with failure of periosteal callus to bridge the adjacent ends of the host bone and the transplanted fragment. 5. The healing process of fracture was not inhibited by alteration in blood sugar level when the blood sugar was abnormally increased by excessive sugar intake or lowered by administration of insulin alone. The healing of fracture in these groups progressed similarly as in the control group. In brief summary, it appears that the healing process of fracture would be definitely disturbed in diabetic state brought about by damage to the pancreatic islet. As such an inhibition could be overcome with insulin, it seems that insulin plays an important role in healing of fracture, but alteration in blood sugar level alone does not modify healing process of fracture to significant degree.