This study was performed to evaluate the existing pain assessment methods including the tools developed for use with nonverbal older adults with dementia, and to suggest recommendations to clinicians based on the evaluations. Computerized literature searches published after year 2000 using databases - Google scholar, RISS, KoreaMed, Medline, ScienceDirect, CINAHL - were done. Searching keywords were 'pain', 'pain assessment', and 'cognitive impairment/dementia'. The pain assessments for non-communicative dementia patients who are unable to self-report their pains are often made using the assessment tools relying on the observation of behavioral indicators or alternatively the strategy of surrogate reporting. While several tools in English version and only one in Korean are suggested for the pain assessments based on the observation of behavioral indicators, none are commonly used. In this review, we selectively evaluated those tools known to show relatively higher degree of validity and reliability for nonverbal older adults with dementia, namely, CNPI, DOLOPLUS 2, PACSLAC, PAINAD, and DS-DAT. It is hoped that the present review of selected tools for assessing pain in those vulnerable population and the general recommendations given be useful for clinicians in their palliative care practice. And future studies should focus on enriching the validation of the useful tools used to observe the nonverbal patient's behavioral indicators for pain in Korean.
Adult ; Dementia ; Humans ; Pain Measurement ; Palliative Care ; Vulnerable Populations

The seasonal influenza vaccine programs in many regions aimed to protect most vulnerable population, but current trivalent influenza vaccine does not provide sufficient effectiveness among people under high risk for severe outcome of the influenza. The vaccine herd effect (VHE) is the extra protection of non-immune high risk persons, with increase of immunity among vaccinated healthier persons which prevents circulation of influenza in the community. Accumulating evidences are supporting the immunization of extended population with regard to the VHE.
Humans ; Immunization ; Influenza Vaccines ; Influenza, Human* ; Seasons* ; Vulnerable Populations

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to analyze the current state and tendency of oral health inequality in 12-year-old Korean children by calculating the Gini coefficient from decayed, missing, or filled teeth (DMFT) data. METHODS: Ten-year trends were empirically estimated by calculating the Gini coefficient from the Lorenz curve plotted based on the DMFT data of 12-year-old children, obtained from the Korean National Oral Health Survey from 2000 to 2010. RESULTS: While the oral health improved in general, oral health inequalities increased with the decrease in the number of DMFT each year, and the DMFT-based Gini coefficient increased from 0.53 in 2000 to 0.61 in 2010. The increase in the number of decayed and missing teeth was strongly affected by the increase in oral health inequality. CONCLUSIONS: To resolve Korea's continually increasing oral health inequality, it is necessary to establish support measures for vulnerable populations and to develop and manage a surveillance system for continuous monitoring of oral health inequality in the future.
Child ; Humans ; Oral Health ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Tooth ; Vulnerable Populations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a self triage application for rescue requests by disaster vulnerable populations. Literature was reviewed in order to define application trends and needs. METHODS: Development of the self triage application was conducted in six stages as a hybrid model (analysis, design, development, implementation, evaluation, modification) of the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) model and Driscoll & Alexander model. Application system function and contents were tried with 6 experts and 4 people with hearing impairments. RESULTS: Expert assessment of the application for self triage showed that reliability at 5 points was the highest, followed by utility at 4.8 points. Scores for quickness and expressiveness were low at 4.6 and 4.2 points respectively. User acceptability assessment of the application was measured at 66.73 points. CONCLUSION: The results show that the application for self triage is helpful to disaster vulnerable populations by providing relief in disaster situations. It is expected that use of this application as a self rescue ability can be made available for disaster situations. However, it will be necessary to establish policies for communication strategies with rescuers and public relations to improve the access rate of disaster app service.
Disasters* ; Hearing ; Humans ; Mobile Applications ; Public Relations ; Triage* ; Vulnerable Populations*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of social networks to health status among the urban low income elderly. METHOD: Using a sample of 598 elderly aged 65 years and higher, social networks, health status were measured by the Social Networks Scale (LSNS), Perceived Health Status, GDSSF-K, K-ADL respectively. The t-test, ANOVA and Tukey-test and Pearson's correlation analyses were performed using SPSS 18.0. RESULTS: 41% of subjects didn't contact with relatives at least once a month. 56% of subjects saw or heard less than monthly from relative with whom they have the most contact. 47% didn't have relatives who one can rely on private matters. Social networks among the low income elderly significantly differed by marital status, health insurance type, economic status, regular exercise, living with family. Social networks were significantly correlated with perceived health status (r=.201), cognitive function (r=-.154) and depressive symptoms (r=-.301). CONCLUSION: Poor social networks were found in urban low income elderly. Poorer social networks were related to worse health status and more depressive symptoms. Interventions targeting at increasing social networks are urgently needed for low income elderly.
Aged ; Depression ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Marital Status ; Vulnerable Populations

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease caused by novel coronavirus named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. Its growing number of cases with a very limited number of studies in the country is quite alarming, especially to the vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women. Objective: To determine and compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes of COVID-19 positive versus negative parturient Materials and Methodology: This is a retrospective cohort study of 131 parturient in a tertiary hospital. Results: We analyzed a total of 131 patients, of whom 65 (49.6%) were COVID positive. At the time of testing, more than half were at their early term of pregnancy (64.89%) and at term (14.5%). Based on disease severity, 45 women (69.2%) exhibited mild disease, 39 were asymptomatic and 6 symptomatic, 19 (29.2%) moderate disease, and 1 (1.5%) severe disease. Among those symptomatic, the most common signs and symptoms were cough (33.85%), myalgia (10.77%), and a radiographic finding of localized or multilobar infiltrates (30.76%). Those who had laboratory examinations, the c-reactive protein (CRP) and D-dimer were found to be elevated. Based on maternal outcomes, there was a higher incidence of preterm birth (21.54%, P = 0.048) and longer length of hospital stay (P = 0.005) in the COVID-19-positive group. While the neonatal outcomes were similar in both groups, except for longer hospital stay, and delayed institution of breastfeeding among the COVID-19-positive group. Conclusion In this study, there was no evidence that the presence of COVID-19 infection during pregnancy causes increased morbidity and mortality in mothers and their neonates. Close surveillance should be done on this population, especially if detected before term, as these patients are predisposed to having preterm labor. Further research is needed to understand the true extent of the risks to improve the management of these special population.
COVID‑19 ; Pregnancy ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Pregnant Women ; Vulnerable Populations

OBJECTIVE: Although evidence suggests that there is an increase in suicide rates in the general population following celebrity suicide, the rates are heterogeneous across celebrities and countries. It is unclear which is the more vulnerable population according to the effect sizes of celebrity suicides to general population. METHODS: All suicide victims in the general population verified by the Korea National Statistical Office and suicides of celebrity in South Korea were included for 7 years from 2005 to 2011. Effect sizes were estimated by comparing rates of suicide in the population one month before and after each celebrity suicide. The associations between suicide victims and celebrities were examined. RESULTS: Among 94,845 suicide victims, 17,209 completed suicide within one month after 13 celebrity suicides. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that suicide victims who died after celebrity suicide were significantly likely to be of age 20-39, female, and to die by hanging. These qualities were more strongly associated among those who followed celebrity suicide with intermediate and high effect sizes than lower. Younger suicide victims were significantly associated with higher effect size, female gender, white collar employment, unmarried status, higher education, death by hanging, and night-time death. Characteristics of celebrities were significantly associated with those of general population in hanging method and gender. CONCLUSION: Individuals who commit suicide after a celebrity suicide are likely to be younger, female, and prefer hanging as method of suicide, which are more strongly associated in higher effect sizes of celebrity suicide.
Education ; Employment ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Single Person ; Suicide* ; Vulnerable Populations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic obesity on the components of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in adolescents. METHODS: This study used the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2010 to 2011. The study included 859 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. Descriptive statistics and simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted using SAS 9.2. RESULTS: Based on the results, adolescents with sarcopenic obesity had a higher risk of central obesity (AOR: 23.41, 95% CI: 12.76–43.97), high triglyceride (OR: 4.58, 95% CI: 2.69–7.79), low HDL-cholesterol (AOR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.74–4.05), high blood pressure (AOR: 3.44, 95% CI: 1.37–8.68), and high fasting glucose (AOR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.13–4.96) than their normal counterparts. Adolescents with non-sarcopenic obesity had a higher risk of central obesity (AOR: 19.75, 95% CI: 9.73–44.67), high triglyceride (OR: 3.09, 95% CI: 1.22–7.81), and low HDL-cholesterol (AOR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.37–5.45) than normal youths, and these were not significantly related to high blood pressure and fasting glucose. CONCLUSION: Sarcopenic obesity was more related to the components of MetS than non-sarcopenic obesity. Since adolescents with sarcopenic obesity are a more vulnerable population, a prevention and management program for MetS and cardiovascular risk should be implemented in this population.
Adolescent* ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity* ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Sarcopenia ; Triglycerides ; Vulnerable Populations

PURPOSE: This study was to develop and evaluate a health promotion program for women with osteoarthritis. METHODS: The research adopted the nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 34 in the experimental group and 34 in the control group sampled among vulnerable women aged over 40. The independent variable was the health promotion program, and the dependent variables were perceived health status, balance, K-WOMAC, depression, life satisfaction and health promoting behavior. The health promotion program was performed for 50minutes each session, twice a week and for 8 weeks. Data were collected from July 1 to September 11, 2010. RESULTS: The experimental group showed significant differences in perceived health status, balance, WOMAC pain, WOMAC difficulty of performing activity, depression, and health promoting behavior compared to the control group. There was no significant difference in WOMAC stiffness, waist, weight, and life-satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the health promotion program can be applied in degenerative arthritis education to improve self-care.
Depression ; Education ; Female ; Health Promotion* ; Humans ; Osteoarthritis* ; Self Care ; Vulnerable Populations

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to find out factors influencing the health promotion behavior of low-income vulnerable 4th, 5th and 6th-grade elementary school students. The specific goals were: first, to find out difference in health knowledge, self-esteem and health promotion behavior according to general characteristics; second, to investigate the correlations among health knowledge, self-esteem and health promotion; and, third, to analyze factors influencing health promotion behavior. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 137 low-income vulnerable 4th, 5th and 6th-grade elementary school children who were participating after-school programs in Seoul. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed in health knowledge, self-esteem and health promotion behavior between girls and boys. In the sub categories, differences were observed in personal hygiene and health responsibility, stress management and personal relationship. The correlation of health promotion behavior with self-esteem and health knowledge was statistically significant. Regression analysis revealed that the influencing factor is self-esteem with the other variables under control. CONCLUSION: Health promotion education requires low-income vulnerable elementary children to increase their self-esteem. We recommend that it should be one of the most effective ways to split boys and girls to educate them in disparate classrooms.
Child ; Education ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; Health Promotion* ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Seoul ; Vulnerable Populations