OBJECTIVETo analyze the projects of the general program in preventive medicine submitted to and funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) from 2004 to 2006, and to discuss the disadvantages of these projects and foundation trends.

METHODS4124 projects submitted and 656 projects supported in 16 fields of preventive medicine between 2004 to 2006 were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS1082, 1378 and 1664 projects were submitted to NSFC and 199, 210 and 247 projects were financially supported in last three years, respectively, with selecting rate 18.4%, 15.2% and 14.8%, respectively. The number and the selection rate of projects supported in the different study fields from 2004 to 2006 were 15 (7.5%), 24 (11.4%) and 18 (7.3%) in environmental health, 8 (4.0%), 12 (5.7%) and 15 (6.1%) in occupational health, 30 (15.1%), 24 (11.4%) and 31 (12.6%) in nutrition and food hygiene, 3 (1.5%), 4 (1.9%) and 4 (1.6%) in child and adolescent health, 14 (7.0%), 20 (9.5%) and 20 (8.1%) in toxicology, 7 (3.5%), 7 (3.3%) and 2 (0.8%) in social medicine, 17 (8.5%), 22 (10.5%) and 31 (12.6%) in epidemiology, 7 (3.5%), 7 (3.3%) and 10 (4.0%) in endemiology, 2 (1.0%), 5 (2.4%) and 5 (2.0%) in biostatistics, 0 (0%), 2 (1.0%) and 1 (0.4%) in health laboratory technology, 7 (3.5%), 2 (1.0%) and 7 (2.8%) in vector biology, 15 (7.5%), 9 (4.3%) and 16 (6.5%) in parasitology, 0 (0%), 2 (1.0%) and 0 (0%) in disinfection, 58 (29.1%), 51 (24.3%) and 58 (23.5%) in infectious disease, 3 (1.5%), 1 (0.5%) and 5 (2.0%) in sexually transmitted disease, 13 (6.5%), 18 (8.6%) and 24 (9.7%) in dermatology, respectively. The contents of these research subjects reflected that more importance has been attached to the fields of preventive medicine. However, it is necessary that original and innovatory research should be further strengthened, and the field and prospective study should be emphasized in the future.

CONCLUSIONRapid advancement have been made in the fields of toxicology, epidemiology, environmental health, nutrition and food hygiene, and infectious disease, while other areas such as social medicine, health laboratory technology, disinfection and sexually transmitted disease need a rapid advancement. In general, the levels of the projects received and funded have been elevating yearly.

China ; Financial Support ; Fund Raising ; Preventive Medicine ; economics ; statistics & numerical data ; Research Support as Topic ; statistics & numerical data

The study was aimed at developing an independent hospice center model that would be best suited for Korea based on a literature review and the current status of local and international hospices. For the study, five local and six international hospice organizations were surveyed. Components of the hospice center model include philosophy, purpose, resources (workers, facilities, and equipment), allocation of resources, management, financial support and hospice team service. The following is a summary of the developed model: Philosophies for the hospice center were set as follows: based on the dignity of human life and humanism, help patients spend the rest of their days in a meaningful way and accept life positively. On the staff side, to pursue a team-oriented holistic approach to improve comfort and quality of life for terminally ill persons and their families. The hospice center should have 20 beds with single, two, and four bed rooms. The center should employ, either on a part-time or full-time basis, a center director, nurses, doctors, chaplains, social workers, pharmacists, dieticians, therapists, and volunteers. In addition, it will need an administrative staff, facility managers and nurses aides. The hospice should also be equipped with facilities for patients, their families, and team members, furnished with equipment and goods at the same level of a hospital. For the organizational structure, the center is represented by a center director who reports to a board and an advisory committee. Also, the center director administers a steering committee and five departments, namely, Administration, Nursing Service, Social Welfare, Religious Services, and Medical Service. Furthermore, the center should be able to utilize a direct and support delivery systems. The direct delivery system allows the hospice center to receive requests from, or transfer patients to, hospitals, clinics, other hospice organizations (by type), public health centers, religious organizations, social welfare organizations, patients, and their guardians. On the other hand, the support delivery system provides a link to outside facilities of various medical suppliers. In terms of management, details were made with regards to personnel management, records, infection control, safety, supplies and quality management. For financial support, some form of medical insurance coverage for hospice services, ways to promote a donation system and fund raising were examined. Hospice team service to be provided by the hospice center was categorized into assessment, physical care, emotional care, spiritual care, bereavement service, medication, education and demonstrations, medical supplies rental, request service, volunteer service, and respite service. Based on the results, the study has drawn up the following suggestions: 1. The proposed model for a hospice center as presented in the study needs to be tested with a pilot project. 2. Studies on criteria for legal approval and license for a hospice center need to be conducted to develop policies. 3. Studies on developing a hospice charge system and hospice standards that meet local conditions in Korea need to be conducted.
Advisory Committees ; Education ; Equipment and Supplies ; Financial Management ; Financial Support ; Fund Raising ; Hand ; Hospice Care ; Hospices* ; Humanism ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Insurance Coverage ; Korea ; Licensure ; Nurses' Aides ; Nursing Services ; Nutritionists ; Personnel Management ; Pharmacists ; Philosophy ; Public Health ; Quality of Life ; Resource Allocation ; Social Welfare ; Social Workers ; Terminally Ill ; Volunteers