Background: Nonpharmaceutical intervention strategy is significantly important to mitigate the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread. One of the interventions implemented by the government is a school closure. The Ministry of Education decided to postpone the school opening from March 2 to April 6 to minimize epidemic size. We aimed to quantify the school closure effect on the COVID-19 epidemic. Methods: The potential effects of school opening were measured using a mathematical model considering two age groups: children (aged 19 years and younger) and adults (aged over 19). Based on susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered model, isolation and behavior-changed susceptible individuals are additionally considered. The transmission parameters were estimated from the laboratory confirmed data reported by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from February 16 to March 22. The model was extended with estimated parameters and estimated the expected number of confirmed cases as the transmission rate increased after school opening. Results: Assuming the transmission rate between children group would be increasing 10 fold after the schools open, approximately additional 60 cases are expected to occur from March 2 to March 9, and approximately additional 100 children cases are expected from March 9 to March 23. After March 23, the number of expected cases for children is 28.4 for 7 days and 33.6 for 14 days. Conclusion The simulation results show that the government could reduce at least 200 cases, with two announcements by the Ministry of education. After March 23, although the possibility of massive transmission in the children's age group is lower, group transmission is possible to occur.

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the prevalence & types of workplace violence toward nurses in hospitals, and to understand nurse's coping response, cause of violence and prevention strategy. METHODS: The data were collected from 254 nurses working in 9 hospitals in Jeju Province by the self-report from June to August 2010. RESULTS: The respondents experienced unpleasant or insulting words (89.8%), verbal threat (38.2%), physical threat (67.7%), physical injury (32.7%), severe physical injury (2.8%), and sexual harassment (26.4%) during the last one year. The frequent offenders were patients, patients' family and physicians in order. The causes of violence which nurses perceived were personality of offenders (76.4%), lack of assessment of aggressive patients or care givers (42.1%), and lack of explanation to patients or caregivers (33.5%). They reported that coping strategies for workplace violence were 'established reporting system (63.4%)', 'building a cooperative circumstances within team members (58.3%)', and 'formulation of hospital policies for violence prevention and coping (54.3%)'. CONCLUSION: These findings showed nurses are at considerable risk for workplace violence, and they experience various types of violence from patients, caregivers, and physicians. We suggest that hospitals formulate appropriate policies, guidelines and programs to prevent and cope with workplace violence in hospitals.
Caregivers ; Criminals ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Humans ; Phosphatidylethanolamines ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea ; Sexual Harassment ; Violence

PURPOSE: The purpose was to investigate the relations among job-stress, self-efficacy, and depression of nurses. METHODS: The data were collected from a random sample of 213 nurses working in two general hospitals of a local area. A self-reported questionnaire was used to assess the level of job-stress, self-efficacy, and depression. RESULTS: The mean score of job-stress was 49.1 and the score of job demand was the highest. The mean score of self-efficacy was 3.4, and depression was 18.2. The prevalence of depression was very high. The job-stress and depression were negatively correlated with self-efficacy. Hierarchial multiple regression showed that the self-efficacy and the high job demand, lack of reward, and organizational injustice of job-stress explained 53% of the variance for the nurses' depression. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated that the self-efficacy and job stress, especially job demand, organizational injustice, and lack of reward contributed to the depression. In order to prevent and decrease the depression, the developing programs to improve self-efficacy are needed.
Depression ; Hospitals, General ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reward

PURPOSE: To compare the cardiometabolic condition of obesity, blood pressure (BP), cholesterol, dietary sodium and potassium intake, and lifestyle behaviors of persons with cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, with those who are disease-free in Korea. METHODS: A secondary data analysis was conducted using a representative sample of Korean adults. RESULTS: Of 10,906 Korean adults (mean age 43.12 ± 0.24 years, women 50.4%), 9,074 were disease-free and 1,520 had hypertension, 137 stroke, and 175 ischemic heart disease. Compared with the disease-free group, obesity, BP, and total cholesterol were higher for the hypertensives. 25.5% of ischemic heart disease group were still smoking; 14.9% of hypertensives were heavy alcohol drinkers. Physical activity was lower in cardio-cerebrovascular diseases than disease-free group. No significant association was found between Na/K ratio adequacy and types of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. CONCLUSION: The cardiometabolic condition varied, with hypertensives having a higher prevalence for obesity, high BP, and cholesterol; poorer adherence to the behavioral recommendations was also noted in cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Such variations in cardiovascular risks would provide implications for addressing vulnerability across groups.
Adult* ; Biomarkers* ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, Dietary ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Life Style* ; Motor Activity ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Obesity ; Potassium* ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sodium ; Sodium, Dietary* ; Statistics as Topic ; Stroke

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the impact of community health care resources on the place of death of older adults with dementia compared to those with cancer in South Korea, using public administrative big data. METHODS: Based on a literature review, we selected person- and community-level variables that can affect older people's decisions about where to die. Data on place-of-death and person-level attributes were obtained from the 2013 death certification micro data from Statistics Korea. Data on the population and economic and health care resources in the community where the older deceased resided were obtained from various open public administrative big data including databases on the local tax and resident population statistics, health care resources and infrastructure statistics, and long-term care (LTC) insurance statistics. Community-level data were linked to the death certificate micro data through the town (si-gun-gu) code of the residence of the deceased. Multi-level logistic regression models were used to simultaneously estimate the impacts of community as well as individual-level factors on the place of death. RESULTS: In both the dementia (76.1%) and cancer (87.1%) decedent groups, most older people died in the hospital. Among the older deceased with dementia, hospital death was less likely to occur when the older person resided in a community with a higher supply of LTC facility beds, but hospital death was more likely to occur in communities with a higher supply of LTC hospital beds. Similarly, among the cancer group, the likelihood of a hospital death was significantly lower in communities with a higher supply of LTC facility beds, but was higher in communities with a higher supply of acute care hospital beds. As for individual-level factors, being female and having no spouse were associated with the likelihood of hospital death among older people with dementia. CONCLUSION: More than three in four older people with dementia die in the hospital, while home is reported to be the place of death preferred by Koreans. To decrease this gap, an increase in the supply of end-of-life (EOL) care at home and in community-based service settings is necessary. EOL care should also be incorporated as an essential part of LTC. Changes in the perception of EOL care by older people and their families are also critical in their decisions about the place of death, and should be supported by public education and other related non-medical, social approaches.
Adult ; Certification ; Community Health Services* ; Death Certificates ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dementia* ; Education ; Female ; Hospices ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Long-Term Care ; Population Characteristics ; Spouses ; Taxes ; Terminal Care

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relationship among nurses' workplace bullying experience, organizational culture, and organizational commitment. METHODS: Nurses who had worked for more than 6 months (N=299) were selected from 5 general hospitals. Data were collected from August to September 2014, using a self- reported questionnaire, and were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. RESULTS: Among the participants, 17.7% reported having experienced workplace bullying. Those who had experienced workplace bullying reported significantly lower relation-oriented culture, innovation-oriented culture, and organizational commitment as compared to the other group (t=-2.50, p=.016; t=-2.60, p=.011; t=-2.91, p=.004, respectively). Rank-oriented culture was higher in those who had experienced workplace bullying as compared to those who had not (t=2.76, p=.007). CONCLUSION: Those who had experienced workplace bullying had higher scores on rank-oriented culture and lower scores on innovation-oriented culture, relation-oriented culture, and organizational commitment. To reduce workplace bullying among nurses, hospital managers should improve the relation-oriented organizational culture and alleviate the rank-oriented culture.
Bullying* ; Hospitals, General ; Organizational Culture*

OBJECTIVES: Harmful alcohol consumption is associated with considerable social and economic damage to individuals and society. Because gender and ethnic background influence alcohol intake differently, examining gender specific factors influencing harmful drinking is necessary. This study investigated gender differences in alcohol consumption, harmful drinking, and the associated factors among Korean adults. METHODS: We analyzed the data from the 2012–2015 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Data from survey participants aged 20–64 years (N = 18,581) were included. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test was used for alcohol dependence, and pooled weights were used. Chi-squared tests and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: The prevalence of harmful alcohol use (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score ≥ 16) was 10.7% in the total sample; 18.4% in men and 3.4% in women, which constituted a significant difference. Education, marital status, smoking, perceived stress, and depressive feeling were associated with harmful drinking in both genders. However, household income, occupation, and perceived health status were associated with harmful drinking only in men. CONCLUSION: Since there are gender differences in harmful drinking and alcohol dependence, gender tailored prevention and intervention strategies for alcohol dependence are necessary including consideration of smoking, stress, and depressive feeling.
Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Alcoholism ; Depression ; Drinking ; Education ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Marital Status ; Nutrition Surveys ; Occupations ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: The purpose was to investigate the relations among job-stress, self-efficacy, and depression of nurses. METHODS: The data were collected from a random sample of 213 nurses working in two general hospitals of a local area. A self-reported questionnaire was used to assess the level of job-stress, self-efficacy, and depression. RESULTS: The mean score of job-stress was 49.1 and the score of job demand was the highest. The mean score of self-efficacy was 3.4, and depression was 18.2. The prevalence of depression was very high. The job-stress and depression were negatively correlated with self-efficacy. Hierarchial multiple regression showed that the self-efficacy and the high job demand, lack of reward, and organizational injustice of job-stress explained 53% of the variance for the nurses' depression. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated that the self-efficacy and job stress, especially job demand, organizational injustice, and lack of reward contributed to the depression. In order to prevent and decrease the depression, the developing programs to improve self-efficacy are needed.
Depression ; Hospitals, General ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reward

OBJECTIVES: Since the report of the first confirmed case in Daegu on February 18, 2020, local transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Korea has continued. In this study, we aimed to identify the pattern of local transmission of COVID-19 using mathematical modeling and predict the epidemic size and the timing of the end of the spread. METHODS: We modeled the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea by applying a mathematical model of transmission that factors in behavioral changes. We used the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data of daily confirmed cases in the country to estimate the nationwide and Daegu/Gyeongbuk area-specific transmission rates as well as behavioral change parameters using a least-squares method. RESULTS: The number of transmissions per infected patient was estimated to be about 10 times higher in the Daegu/Gyeongbuk area than the average of nationwide. Using these estimated parameters, our models predicts that about 13,800 cases will occur nationwide and 11,400 cases in the Daegu/Gyeongbuk area until mid-June. CONCLUSIONS We mathematically demonstrate that the relatively high per-capita rate of transmission and the low rate of changes in behavior have caused a large-scale transmission of COVID-19 in the Daegu/Gyeongbuk area in Korea. Since the outbreak is expected to continue until May, non-pharmaceutical interventions that can be sustained over the long term are required.

OBJECTIVES: Since the report of the first confirmed case in Daegu on February 18, 2020, local transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Korea has continued. In this study, we aimed to identify the pattern of local transmission of COVID-19 using mathematical modeling and predict the epidemic size and the timing of the end of the spread. METHODS: We modeled the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea by applying a mathematical model of transmission that factors in behavioral changes. We used the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data of daily confirmed cases in the country to estimate the nationwide and Daegu/Gyeongbuk area-specific transmission rates as well as behavioral change parameters using a least-squares method. RESULTS: The number of transmissions per infected patient was estimated to be about 10 times higher in the Daegu/Gyeongbuk area than the average of nationwide. Using these estimated parameters, our models predicts that about 13,800 cases will occur nationwide and 11,400 cases in the Daegu/Gyeongbuk area until mid-June. CONCLUSIONS We mathematically demonstrate that the relatively high per-capita rate of transmission and the low rate of changes in behavior have caused a large-scale transmission of COVID-19 in the Daegu/Gyeongbuk area in Korea. Since the outbreak is expected to continue until May, non-pharmaceutical interventions that can be sustained over the long term are required.