• The Journal of Health Technology Assessment
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this research is to investigate regional variations of mastication difficulty rates in the elderly over 65 in 229 primary autonomous districts in Korea and explore relevant characteristics. For the research data, local community health survey conducted in 2015 and data from Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Health & Welfare, National Health Insurance Service and Statistics Korea were used. Methods: Frequency analysis was conducted for general characteristics and mastication difficulty rates of each region, and distribution of mastication difficulty rates was displayed for each town, city and province by mapping them. Extremal quotient (EQ), coefficient of variation (CV) values were calculated for regional variations, and logistic regression analysis was performed to reveal the relationship between each independent variable and mastication difficulty rates. Results: The average of standardized mastication difficulty rate was 46.78%, and regional variations were significant with EQ 3.46, CV 0.18. Characteristic factors that have significant effects on mastication difficulty rate included sex ratio, elderly population and the number of dentists per 10000 people. Conclusion: As a result, there were variations among mastication difficulty rates in 229 primary local governments across the country, and the distribution of health care resources by the characteristics of the local environment by region affected mastication difficulty rates. Accordingly, it is required to provide political supports to overcome regional inequality of oral health levels and develop cooperative system between local governments and local dentists.

• Atmosphere
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.135-148
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• 2022

This study investigates the influence of atmospheric river (AR) on precipitation over South Korea with a focus on regional characteristics. The 42-year-long catalog of ARs, which is obtained by applying the automatic AR detection algorithm to ERA5 reanalysis data and the insitu precipitation data recorded at 56 weather stations across the country are used to quantify their relationship. Approximately 51% of the climatological annual precipitation is associated with AR. The AR-related precipitation is most pronounced in summer by approximately 58%, while only limited fraction of precipitation (26%) is AR-related in winter. The heavy precipitation (> 30 mm day^-1) is more prone to AR activity (59%) than weak precipitation (5~30 mm day^-1; 33%) in all seasons. By grouping weather stations into the four sub-regions based on orography, it is found that the contribution of AR precipitation to the total is largest in the southern coast (57%) and smallest in the eastern coast (36%). Similar regional variations in AR precipitation fractions also occur in weak precipitation events. The regional contrast between the northern and southern stations is related to the seasonal variation of AR-frequency. In addition, the regional contrast between the western and eastern stations is partly modulated by the orographic forcing. The fractional contribution of AR to heavy precipitation exceeds 50% in all seasons, but this is true only in summer along the eastern coast. This result indicates that ARs play a critical role in heavy precipitation in South Korea, thus routine monitoring of ARs is needed for improving operational hydrometeorological forecasting.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.499-505
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• 2021

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic behavior of a population of Holstein cattle in response to the variation of environmental temperature by analyzing the effects of genotype by environment interaction (GEI) through reaction norms for the somatic cell score (SCS). Methods: Data was collected for 67,206 primiparous cows from the database of the Paraná Holstein Breeders Association in Brazil, with the aim of evaluating the temperature effect, considered as an environmental variable, distinguished under six gradients, with the variation range found being 17℃ to 19.5℃, over the region. A reaction norm model was adopted utilizing the fourth order under the Legendre polynomials, using the mixed models of analysis by the restricted maximum likelihood method by the WOMBAT software. Additionally, the genetic behavior of the 15 most representative bulls was assessed, in response to the changes in the temperature gradient. Results: A mean score of 2.66 and a heritability variation from 0.17 to 0.23 was found in the regional temperature increase. The correlation between the environmental gradients proved to be higher than 0.80. Distinctive genetic behaviors were observed according to the increase in regional temperature, with an observed increase of up to 0.258 in the breeding values of some animals, as well as a reduction in the breeding of up to 0.793, with occasional reclassifications being observed as the temperature increased. Conclusion: Non-relevant GEI for SCS were observed in Holstein cattle herds of southern Brazil. Thus, the inclusion of the temperature effect in the model of genetic evaluation of SCS for the southern Brazilian Holstein breed is not required.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.561-574
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• 2018

In this study, regional variations and factors associated with prevalence of metabolic syndrome were grasped using GWR (geographically weighted regression) and methodologies for the efficient management of metabolic syndrome were then set up to resolve health inequalities. Based on the National Health Screening Statistical Yearbook published by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), community health survey (KCDC) and other governmental institutions, indicators of social structural and mediation factors related to the regional prevalence of metabolic syndrome were collected. First, the existence of indicators to measure variations in metabolic syndrome were confirmed with the collected data by calculating the EQ (extremal quotient) and CV (coefficient of variations). The GWR, which is able to take spatial variations into consideration, was then adopted to analyze the factors of regional variations in metabolic syndrome. The GWR analysis revealed that severity and management of the main causes need to be prioritized in accordance with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Consequently, the order of priority in management of regional prevalence of metabolic syndrome was established, and plans that can increase the effectiveness of management of metabolic syndrome were confirmed to be feasible.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.183-193
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• 2020

Objectives: As an ecological study, this study was performed to identify the community-level variation of health related quality-of-life (HRQOL), and to explore the factors that explain the variation, using 2017 Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS) data. Methods: Community health indicators of KCHS, which are correlated with the EQ-5D index of Si-gun-gu districts, were selected as independent variables. Multiple linear regression model was used to derive factors that explain regional variations in the EQ-5D index. Results: The EQ-5D index variation in 229 districts nationwide was 1.1 times for extremal quotient (EQ) and 1.0 for coefficient of variance (CV). The Si-gun-gu districts with the EQ-5D index in the lower 25% were more distributed in the province (27.7%) than in the metropolitan area (20.3%). As a result of multiple linear regression analysis, the depressed mood experience rate, perceived stress rate, suicide ideation rate, and physician diagnosed arthritis rate were derived as major factors of the variation. Conclusions: In order to reduce the gap in HRQOL between the districts, the priority of local health policies should be placed on the above factors including psychosocial factors.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.234-239
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• 2021

The purpose of this paper is to find out the nature of language variation by exploring the ways of the progress of the language variation that produces all English-lects, i.e., the World Englishes. The study of language variation in linguistics is a hybrid enterprise, so the study of World Englishes has led to the recognition of a highly diverse set of all English-lects, encompassing regional dialects, sociolects, ethnolects and (post-)colonial dialects of World Englishes. In this paper, we propose a hybrid language variation model with three interacting factors of social distancing, on/off-contact, and linguistic diversity to examine the characteristics of language variation. In the context of World Englishes, the social distance is typically low in terms of their local location (country/speech) for local purposes. The social distance also varies based on online/offline communication modes and other social factors like gender, age and ethnic groups, resulting in all English-lects. To clarify the nature of World Englishes, the core Englishes, BrE, AmE and CanE are discussed here.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.143-152
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• 2014

Background: Previous studies showed that the characteristics of population and regions were related to the suicide rates. This study purposed to analyze the relationships between regional factors and suicide rates with spatial analysis model. Methods: This is a cross sectional study based on the statistics of 2011 which was extracted from the 229 City Gun Gu administrative districts in Korea. Cause of death statistics on each district was used to produce the age-, sex-adjusted mortality rates resulting from suicide. Regional characteristics were measured by the number of doctors engaged in medical institutions per 1,000 population, divorced people's rate per 1,000 population, number of marriages per 1,000 population, and percent of welfare budget in general accounting. Statistical analysis was performed by using SAS ver. 9.3 and ArcGIS ver. 10.2 was used for geographically weighted regression (GWR). Results: In ordinary least square (OLS) regression, divorced people's rate per 1,000 population had a significant positive relationship with the standardized mortality rate per 100,000 population. Marriages per 1,000 population and the proportion of welfare budget in the general accounting had significant negative relationships with the mortality rates. Meanwhile, GWR provided that the directions of variable, divorced people's rate per 1,000 population, were varied depending on regions. The adjusted $R^2$ was improved from the 0.32 in OLS to the 0.46 in GWR. Conclusion: Results of GWR showed that regional factors had different effects on the suicide rates depending on locations. It suggested that policy interventions for reducing the suicide rate should consider the regional characteristics in obtaining policy objectives.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.689-698
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• 2011

In South Korea, Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) has been enforced since 2004 to restore and manage water quality in the watersheds. However, the appraisal of TMDL in South Korea has lots of weaknesses to establish the plan for recovery of water quality because it just evaluates the target water quality during the particular flow duration interval. In the United States, Load Duration Curve (LDC) method bas been widely used in the TMDL to evaluate the water quality and pollutant loads considering variation of stream flow. In a recent study, web-based Load Duration Curve system was developed to create the LDC automatically and provide the convenience of use. In this study, web-based Load Duration Curve system was applied in the Gapyeongcheon watershed using the daily flow and 8-day interval water quality data, and Q-L Rating Curve was used to evaluate the water quality and pollutant load in the watershed, also. As a result of study, water quality and pollutant load in Gapyeongcheon watershed were met with water quality standard and allocated load in the all flow durations. Web-based Load Duration Curve system could be applied to the appraisal of South Korean TMDL because it can be used to judge the impaired flow duration and build up the plan of load reduction, and it could enhance the publicity. But, web-based Load Duration Curve system should be enhanced through addition of load assessment tools such as Q-L rating curve to evaluate water quality and pollutant load objectively.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.320-338
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• 2022

This article examines how and why entrepreneurship differs by region concerning the history of Korea's entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs). Through a qualitative analysis of 19 interviews, this article compares the history and components of Seoul National University and KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) EEs. First, these ecosystems emerged around 1996 and are currently experiencing the second startup boom, with various supporting organizations and actors involved. Second, these ecosystems revealed differences concerning material, social and cultural attributes. Third, differences in the networking of the two ecosystems are due to different regional cultures, which allow individuals to interpret entrepreneurial opportunities. In other words, the maintenance and development of EEs are cultural in essence and display regional variation.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.40-54
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• 2023

Background: Based on the increase in the needs for convalescent rehabilitation medical services in Korea, this study aims to calculate the needs for rehabilitation services and examine its determinants for 229 regions. Methods: Claim data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service were used to estimate patients who need to receive rehabilitation services, and data from various sources were also used for analysis. The number of cases and incidence rates of hospitalization related to convalescent rehabilitation were calculated to estimate the needs for services by region, and the results were visualized via a map. Multivariate regression and fixed effects regression using panel data were performed to identify the determinants of regional variation of the incidence rate. Results: First, the incidence rate of rural areas such as Jeolla-do, Gyeongsang-do, and Chungcheong-do was higher than urban areas (metropolitan cities). Second, the population, proportion of the elder, medical aid recipients, financial independence, traffic deaths, smoking, diabetes rate, and medical infrastructure correlated significantly with the incidence rate. Third, 'rho' values which mean the fraction of variance due to individual terms in panel data regression models were 0.965 and 0.976, respectively. Conclusion: The incidence rate of hospitalizations was correlated with most independent variables in this study and there is a gap between urban and rural areas. These regional disparities are fixed in our society. An improved regional convalescent rehabilitation system is suggested to cover the entire area including rural areas with a high rate of aging.