The community health practitioners (CHP) play an important role in primary health care services to the underserved population in rural area. Time and motion study of 26 CHPs in Kyungpook Province was conducted through work diary method for 6 consecutive days from the time they arrived until they left the primary health post (PHP) during the past 3 weeks from November 16 to December 5, 1987. The allocation of activity time by working category, service category, location of activity and CHP's function was analyzed according to the characteristics of CHPs i. e., age, marital status and experience as CHP. The major findings are as follows: The mean activity time per CHP in a week was 2,918 minutes. The length of their working hours as longer for older, married and more experienced CHPs than other. About 80% of the CHP's activities took place within the PHP and only about 20% occurred outside of the PHP. Working hours for the outdoor activities were longer for younger, single and less experienced CHPs than others. The allocation of activity time by working category showed 46.3% in the technical work and 18.7% in the administrative work. Working hours for the technical activities were longer for younger, single and less experienced CHPs than others. The percentage of activity time revealed greatest as much as 63.1% for direct patient care in technical word and 61.6% for record keeping in administrative work. Of the total working hours in a week, direct patient care and public health activities accounted for 29.2.% and 16.2%, respectively. Of the indoor activities, working hours for direct patient care were longer than those for public health activities. However, of the outdoor activities, working hours for public health activities were longer than those for direct patient care. The allocation of activity time by CHP's function showed 49.7% in management of common disease, 31.8% in management of PHP and technical supervision of village health workers, 9.5% in MCH and family planning, 6.6% in community health management and 2.4% in community approach. Based on these findings, it was found that CHPs were mainly working in the PHP with a majority of their time being spent of direct patient care rather than preventive and promotive health cares. To enhance the preventive and promotive health services of the CHPs and to involve the activities for community development, refresher course for CHPs should be reinforced and supervision mechanism of the CHPs should be established and operated in Gun- and province- level.
Community Health Workers ; Family Planning Services ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Health Services ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Methods ; Organization and Administration ; Patient Care ; Primary Health Care ; Public Health ; Social Change ; Vulnerable Populations

No abstract available.
Primary Health Care*

No abstract available.
Primary Health Care*

The present study was conducted to investigate the status of industrial injuries through a prospective study for a year from August 1980 to July 1981. The subjects were 15 textile industries which were selected by random sampling in Daegu. The results obtained are as follows: Annal over-all incidence rate of industrial injuries was 3.3 percent and the rate showed 6.7 percent in male and 2 percent in female. The rate showed decreasing tendency with larger scale of industries. By the age group, 15-19 age group was the highest as 49.3 percent. Age specific incidence rate of industrial injuries revealed highest as 4.7 precent among the group the group of 30 years old and over. By the years of service, 57.1 percent of the total cases belonged to the group less than 1 year and the rate revealed increasing tendency with shorter period of service. The highest frequency in industrial injuries was observed at the point of 3 hours after the beginning of the work in a day as 18.1 percent. Frequency of industrial injuries showed highest as 27.7 percent in winter time and showed 14 percent and 11.8% percent in January and August, respectively. By the cause of injuries, machinery accident showed the highest as 39.2 percent and followed by the accidents due to striking against object as 17.8 percent, fall of ground as 16.3% percent and hand tool as 7.2% percent. Frequency of injured parts of body was highest as 43.9 percent in fingers. The frequency was much higher in upper extremities (66.9%) than in lower extremities (17.6%). By the kind of injuries, laceration wound was highest as 35.7% percent and the next was superficial injury and contusion as 35.1 percent. By the duration of treatment, most of the cases was belonged to the group less than 1 month as 79.1 percent and the duration showed prolonging tendency with larger scale of industries.
Adult ; Contusions ; Daegu* ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Female ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lacerations ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Strikes, Employee ; Textile Industry ; Textiles* ; Upper Extremity ; Wounds and Injuries

No abstract available.
Health Promotion*

The present study was conducted to investigate smoking status and the relationship of smoking to hypertension and disease 1,504 subjects who were 30-year-old age in Kyungsan Gunm Jyungpook province, during the period of 12 months from March 1978 to February 1979. The results obtained are summarized as follows : of 1,504 subjects, 52.2 percent smoked. The percentage of males smoking showed 84.8 and the percentage of females was 30.7. There were no statistically significant differences between the rate smoking and educational levels. Protestants demonstrated lower rates of smoking compared with other groups. Regarding the age started to smoke, 66.4 percent of male smokers and 16.9 percent of female smokers commenced smoking before the age of 19. In the regard to the average number of cigarettes smoked daily, 45.8 percent of male smokers consumed some 20 cigarettes and 24.1 percent of female smokers consumed some 10 cigarettes. 3.2 percent of male smokers smoked 40 or more cigarettes a day. Alcohol consumption was closely associated with smoking . 90.7 percent of male alcohol drinkers and 60.1 percent of female drinkers smoked. Cigarette smokers have higher rates of ailments than nonsmokers as a whole. The complaints of cough with sputum and shortness of breath revealed higher rates among smokers than among nonsmokers. Frequency of illnesses showed higher for smokers than for nonsmokers. Smokers were more likely than nonsmokers to suffer from chronic obstructive lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. Abnormal systolic blood pressure(>160mmHg) and diastolic(>100) revealed significantly higher among smokers than among nonsmokers.
Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Asthma ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Emphysema ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Male ; Protestantism ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Sputum ; Tobacco Products

This study was conducted to identify the factors related to the blood pressure in school children. The study subjects were 144 boys and 140 girls aged 10 years old, 4th grade student of one elementary school in Taegu City. Blood pressure and 18 variables for 284 school children were measured in May 1992. A weight-for-height index, Rohrer index(weightlheighe) was calculated for each individual as a measure of obesity. Body fat percent, fat weight, and lean body mass were measured by impedance fat meter(Model SIF-891). Serum total cholesterol, higli-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, uric acid, total protein, and electrolyte were measured by automated clinical chemistry analyzer(Hitachi 4020). Low-density lipoprotein and atherogenic index were calculated by the equation. The variables assessed were sex, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, Rohrer index, body fat percent, body fat weight, lean body mass, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, uric acid, total protein, serum electrolyte and blood glucose. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures for boys were 104.1mmHg and 66.6mmHg and those for girls were 102.9mmHg and 67.5mmHg. Systolic blood pressure of boys was positively correlated with height, weight, Rohrer index, fat weight, lean body mass, and triglyceride. Systolic blood pressure of girls was positively correlated with height, weight, lean body mass, and uric acid. Diastolic blood pressure of boys was positively correlated with weight, Rohrer index, and lean body mass. Diastolic blood pressure of girls was positively correlated with height, weight, fat weight, and lean body mass and negatively with total serum protein. In multiple regression analysis for the systolic blood pressure, the significant independent variables were Rohrer index and serum sodium in boys, and serum uric acid, fat percent, and Rohrer index in girls. In multiple regression analysis of the diastolic blood pressure, the significant independent variables were Rohrer index in boys and total serum protein in girls. This study indicated that important factors influencing blood pressure in school children were Rohrer index, fat percent, serum sodium, uric acid, and total protein. Rohrer index was most important among these. It is recommended to enforce the nutritional education for diet control of obesity to prevent hypertention in children and to adopt healthy life-styles that promote good health and prevent development of cardiovascular risk factors.
Adipose Tissue ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure* ; Chemistry, Clinical ; Child* ; Cholesterol ; Daegu ; Diet ; Education ; Electric Impedance ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Obesity ; Risk Factors* ; Sodium ; Triglycerides ; Uric Acid

The purpose of the study was to determine factors influencing compliance with anti-tuberculosis therapy. The study subjects were 104 tuberculosis patients who have received the initial treatment in 3 health centers of Kyongju-city, Dalseong-Gun in Teagu and Kumi-city. Data were collected between september and october 1995. The patients were classified into the improved group and the non-improved group according to outcomes of 3 month treatment with short-term therapeutic regimen. To find factors influencing compliance with anti-tuberculosis therapy, multiple logistic regression was made. There was no significant differences between the improved group and the non-improved group in sex, age, education level, occupation, family pattern, and habitual change regarding smoking and drinking. The level of knowledge about anti-tuberculosis therapy in the improved group was significantly higher than the non-improved group(p<0.01). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that family support for not forgetting medication(p<0.05) was a predictor of improvement and knowledge about anti-tuberculosis therapy (p=0.054), regularity of medication(p=0.062), and consultation to family, doctor and nurse(p=0.075)were marginal predictors of improvement. Treatment must be given to every patient confirmed as having tuberculosis and must be given free of charge to the patients. The requirements for adequate chemotherapy are prescribed in the correct dosage and taken regularly by the patient for a sufficient period to prevent relapse of the disease after cure. It is suggested that education to the patients should be reinforced and connectedness between patients and tuberculosis control workers and family should be solidated.
Compliance* ; Drinking ; Drug Therapy ; Education ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Occupations ; Recurrence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tuberculosis

This study was conducted to assess the effects of implementation of the patient referral system started July 1st, 1989. A comparison on the pattern of outpatient services of the Departments of Internal Medicine, General Surgery, and Pediatrics at the Yeungnam University Hospital was conducted for each one year period before and after implementation of the patient referral system. The pre-implementation period was from July 1. 1988 to June 30, 1989 and the post-implementation period was from July 1. 1989 to June 30, 1990. The information used for this study was obtained from official forms, prepared by the Yeungnam University Hospital, and submitted to the Korean Medical Insurance Cooperatives. After implementation of the patient referral system, the number of outpatient cases in the Department of Internal Medicine decreased 36.1% from 9,669 cases to 6,181 cases a year. Cases in the Department of General Surgery decreased 23.7% from 1,864 cases to 1,422 cases a year. The number of cases in the Department of General Surgery decreased 23.7% from 1,864 cases to 1,422 cases a year. The number of cases in the Department of Pediatrics decreased 36.9% from 3,372 cases to 2,128 cases a year. After implementation of the patient referral system, the average age of cases in the Departments of Internal Medicine and General Surgery was 52.5 and 49.7 years old, respcetively. This was a significant increase in comparison with the pre-implementation period. After implementation of patient referral system, the proportion of new outpatients in the Department of Internal Medicine decreased form 24.1% to 14.6%, the Department of General Surgery from 36.0% to 23.4%, and the Department of Pediatrics from 15.5% to 8.3%. The number of visits per case decreased significantly in the Department of Internal Medicine(from 1.74 to 1.61), but there was no significant change in the Department of General Surgery and Pediatrics. The length of treatment per case increased significantly in all three departments (form 16.1 days to 19.3 days in the Department of Internal Medicine, from 12.0 days to 15.2 days in the Department General Surgery, and 8.9 days to 11.2 days in the Department of Pediatrics). The number of clinical tests per case increased significantly in the Department of Internal Medicine (from 22. to 2.5), in the Department of Pediatrics(from 0.8 to 1.1) and increased in the Department of General Surgery(from 6.4 to 6.6). The average medical cost per case decreased form 43,900 Won to 42,500 Won in the Department of Internal Medicine, while the cost increased from 75,900 Won to 78,500 Won in the Department of General Surgery and from 12,700 Won to 13,500 Won in the Department of Pediatrics. In case-mix, the chronic degenerative disease(i. e. hypertension, diabetes mellitus, angina pectoris, malignant neoplasm, and pulmonary tuberculosis) ranked higher and acute infectious diseases and simple cases(i. e. gastritis and duodenitis, haemorrhoids, anal fissure, carbuncle, acute URI, and bronchitis) ranked lower after implementation of the patient referral system compared to before implementation.
Angina Pectoris ; Carbuncle ; Communicable Diseases ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Duodenitis ; Fissure in Ano ; Gastritis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Insurance ; Internal Medicine ; Outpatients* ; Pediatrics ; Referral and Consultation*

A survey was conducted to study perception and attitudes of examinees of, health screening center towards items, cost and procedures of health examination and degree of satisfaction with health examination, from March 2 to May 31, 1995. The study population was 468 examinees received health examination at Health Screening & Diagnosis Center of Yeungnam University Hospital. A questionnaire method was used to collect data. The followings are summaries of findings Examinees were predominantly male(77.4%) ; had college education(68.6%), and held white-collar workers (57.8%). Statistical significance of association between frequency of periodic health examination and other variables
Diagnosis ; Mass Screening*