Comparison of Perceptions of Local Residents and Public Health Center Staffs on the Performance of Medical Service Improvement Plan in Rural Areas / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to compare the perceptions of the rural healthcare service improvement project' performance and reorganization of public health centers between project staffs and local residents. METHODS: Data collection from this study was performed in 141 project areas using structured questionnaires. Data analysis was used in SPSS 22.0 version. RESULTS: The public health center staffs were more positive about the items for improving health facilities than the local residents. Residents in the Si area generally perceived performance as more positive than residents in the Gun area, while public health center staffs in the Gun area perceived performance as more positive than public health center staffs in the Si area. Local residents expressed negative opinions about the reduction in the number of branches of public health clinics and health medical clinics. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, careful improvement projects for rural health care and the establishment of health care systems will be necessary, reflecting the opinions of local residents, along with a variety of regional characteristics.

The Trends and Status of Work-related Musculoskeletal Diseases under Korean Worker's Compensation System / 한국직업건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to analyze the characteristics of work-related musculoskeletal diseases (MSD) and the factors for approving MSD by the parts of the body. METHODS: The analysis was done using the data which were drawn from the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance that is operated by the Korea Worker's Compensation & Welfare Service. The data were composed of total cases related to the work-related diseases from 2006 to 2009. In addition, MSD data input by an investigator were collected. The factors associated with MSD were analyzed using x2 and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: MSD approved cases have increased since 2006 and the proportion of the approved work-related MSD cases in the workers with work-related diseases in 2009 were 33.4%. Spinal approved cases were the highest percentage and upper and lower extremities cases gradually increased. The factors for approving upper extremity were found to be age, company size, type of industry, working duration, and in the case of spine to be company size and heavy lifting. CONCLUSION: Work-related MSD have increased and the factors that affected MSD by the parts of the body varied. Management strategy must be established to prevent MSD by the parts of the body.

Trends in Home-visit Nursing Care by Agencies' Characteristics under the National Long-term Care Insurance System

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate trends in home-visit nursing care by agencies' characteristics under the national long-term care insurance system. METHODS: Cochran-Mantel-Haenzel tests were conducted, using data drawn from the nationwide long-term care insurance claim database of the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation from 2009 to 2011. RESULTS: The number of home-visit nursing care agencies has decreased continuously since 2009. There were also similar trends in the total amount of service provided by home-visit nursing care agencies, the number of recipients, the number of employees, and payments. This study showed that there were statistically significant differences in the trends in home-visit nursing care by agencies' characteristics. Despite the overall downward trend, there were some increases in the percentage of home-visit nursing care provided by agencies which were established by individuals, located in large cities, and which combined home-visit care with home-visit bathing. CONCLUSION: Home-visit nursing care agencies are responsible for providing community-based healthcare services. For past three years, however, they have not been utilized to their full potential. Understanding the trends in home-visit nursing care by agencies' characteristics is important to develop utilization strategies for home-visit nursing care.

The Predictors of Anger Expression of the Homeless in the Shelters

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to examine the level of anger, anger expression, depression, psychosomatic symptom and perceived health status, and to identify the influencing factors of anger expression in shelter residents. METHODS: This study employed a descriptive correlational design. Data were collected from 407 homeless people residing at 27 shelters using structured instruments. RESULTS: The level of anger expression was different by age, educational level, existence of children, and duration of shelter residency. Anger expression was significantly correlated with depression, psychosomatic symptoms and perceived health status. The predictors of high-level anger expression was younger age, low educational level, duration of shelter residency in Model 1 (F=6.884, p<.001, Adj. R2=.065), and depression and psychosomatic symptoms in Model 2 (F=7.197, p<.001, Adj. R2=.113). CONCLUSION: This study suggested that the homeless in the shelters had various psychological vulnerabilities, and therefore more individualized programs based on their needs and psychological health status should be provided for the homeless.

Parenting Stress and Related Factors of Employed and Non-employed Mothers with Preschool Children / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was done to compare the level of parenting stress, entrapment, satisfaction of paternal support, and marital satisfaction between employed and non-employed mothers and to identify significant predictors for parenting stress. METHODS: With a cross-sectional, correlational study design, a sample of study was consisted of 175 women who were employed or non-employed with preschool children through convenience sampling. Data were collected with a structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed by chi-square-test, t-test, Pearson's coefficients, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS program. RESULTS: Results shows that the level of parenting stress of nonemployed mothers was significant higher than that of employed mother. The parenting stress was negatively correlated to marital satisfaction and positively correlated to entrapment in both of them. Entrapment was significant predictors explaining parenting stress in both of them and level of maternal education and satisfaction of paternal support and was significant predictors explaining parenting stress of non-employed mothers. CONCLUSION: Entrapment was very important factors to management parenting stress of both employed and non-employed mothers. Especially, satisfaction of paternal support and marital satisfaction was very important factor to manage parenting stress of mothers.

A Comparison of the Factors Influencing the Life Satisfaction of the Elderly According to their Cognitive Impairment Level

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to analyze the factors that influence the life satisfaction of the elderly according to their cognitive impairment level. METHODS: This study was conducted by dividing 3,012 elderly residents of a regional community into three groups based on the scores of the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination: a normal group without any cognitive impairment, a suspicious group with a mild level of cognitive impairment, and a high risk group with a high level of cognitive impairment. Researchers made phone calls, house calls, and personal visits to health centers and shelters for the elderly to gather the information required for this study. RESULTS: The results of this study revealed that social relationships, depression, and activities of daily living had a significant impact on life satisfaction for the normal group, while social relationships and depression had a high impact on life satisfaction for the suspicious group, and social relationships had high impact on the life satisfaction of the high risk group. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, we suggest that programs that promote development of the social relationship networks of the elderly should be established to promote their life satisfaction.

A Study of Hospital Foodservice Satisfaction after Covering Hospital Foodservice in the National Health Insurance / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study aimed to evaluate the amount of patients' satisfaction with hospital foodservices among those who were benefited from national health insurance during theirhospitalization. A total of 3,094 inpatients from 191 medical institutions were enrolled in this survey. The survey was carried out from July 23 to September 14, 2007 through the face-to-face interview method. All analyses were made using the SPSS software (version 13.0). The mean age of the participants was 53.3 years, 57.0% were women; 34.7% were high-school graduates. Among the respondents, 30.9% stayed in the hospital for 7~14 days long, and 52.0% were hospitalized in multi-patient rooms for six persons. The 87.7% of total population had a general diet, and 9.6% selected the food menu that was notcovered by health insurance. In addition, 38.3% of patients regarded the fee of foodservice as inexpensive. Overall, the satisfaction score with hospital foodservice was 3.63 on a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (extremely dissatisfied) to 5 (extremely satisfied). However, the limitations were indicated including the lack of providing nutritional information and quality of taste. In conclusion, the quality of hospital foodservice might not deteriorate even after enforcement of national payment of medical insurance. Further efforts are required for the diversification of menus and legislative work for improving quality of food service for a successful hospital foodservice policy.

A Study of Hospital Foodservice Management after Covering Hospital Foodservice in The National Health Insurance / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study is to investigate the overall operations of National Hospital Food service after it was benefited by National Health Insurance (NHI). The survey was conducted between July and August, 2007. Among questionnaires mailed to 2,558 medical care institutions, 2,090 returned (81%) questionnaires were analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi-square -test and ANOVA using the SPSS 13.0. The general foodservice characteristic of medical care institutions were as follows. The type of foodservice operations were 'self-operated' (86.9%), 'contracted' (10.5%) and 'Both' (2.6%). Only 6.4% of medical care institutions provided 'hospital food menu not benefited by NHI'. The number of dietitians and cook for medical care institutions were 1.1 and 1.0, respectively. The cost of a general diet meal was 4,205 won and therapeutic diet meal was 4,434 won. The overall operations of hospital foodservice were different depending on the types of medical care institution. After hospital foodservice was benefited by NHI, the overall quality of hospital foodservice including manpower, facilities, and environment was improved. The future direction of hospital foodservice should 1) differentiate the cost of hospital foodservice by the types of medical care institution, 2) increase in co-payment, and 3) provide same service with equal expenses in each party as medical aid or NHS beneficiary.

A Nationwide Survey on Current Conditions of School Health Education / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze and assess the current situation of Korea's school health education program and to establish measures to efficiently carry out school health education in Korea. METHOD: The survey was conducted through the internet with the health educators of elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide to assess the current condition of school health education programs, and 2,459 samples were collected which accounted for 23.4% of the total respondents. RESULTS: According to school health educators on the enforcement of health education, the higher the education became, the less the health education was enforced. The enforcement rate was 96.9% in elementary schools, 76.7% in middle schools, and 67.3% in high schools. The major reasons were found as difficulty in securing class time (54.5%) and other excessive workloads (20.9%). As a result of the health education awareness survey, over 99% answered that health education is needed, over 80% answered that the education requires independent health textbooks, and over 95% answered that health educators are suitable for the person in charge of the education. CONCLUSION: This study will be a useful in establishing a detailed policy on enhancing school health education in the future.

A Study on Evaluation of District Visiting Nursing Services of Urban Health Center

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to present the outcomes of the district visiting nursing services. METHOD: We analyzed nursing records and inspected public health center data for evaluating nursing tasks. and conducted a telephone survey of 651 district inhabitants. RESULTS: According to the result, the coverage of the district population, the rate of new registration and overall program activities increased. Meanwhile, accessibility of visiting health care, the level of health problem management, personal cognition and satisfaction concerning visiting nursing care increased, but there was little change in personal perception of health improvement. Furthermore, the status of client management was improved. In the analysis of participation in national cancer screening program, we found that there was twice higher participation in the district than others. CONCLUSION: We suggest that this district visiting nursing system takes responsibility for district inhabitant health management. Based on the study, we also suggest that the government and local autonomous entities should increase administrative and financial supports to execute the district-based visiting nursing system in wider areas.