The military medical system of the Korean People's Army (KPA) first appeared in August 1946 when a central military hospita was established at the headquarters. Inside the KPA, the military medical and veteran services were first established in February 1948. The military medical officers of the KPA were those who were initially engaged in North Korea's health care sector. Most of the early military medical officers were those who had been trained in the Japanese medical system before liberation and were surgeons. After the establishment of the government in September 1948, Lee Dongwha rapidly introduced the medical system of the Soviet army into the KPA. The KPA military medical system was a mix of Soviet, Japanese and Chinese military medical systems. The medical section of the KPA was similar to that of the Japanese army, and the medical section of the lower army was similar to that of the Soviet army. The stretcher platoon of the KPA were similar to those of the Japanese and Chinese armies. The KPA mainly used Japanese medical equipment at the beginning, and after the establishment of the North Korean regime in September 1948, they were gradually replaced with Soviet products. The military medical office of the KPA were equipped with treatment rooms, laboratories, hospitals, pharmacy, and inpatient rooms. The military medical office purchased medical journals and specimens for medical research and set up a separate research fund. In addition, the military medical office was equipped with a laboratory for medical experiments and raised laboratory animals. The KPA military medical system was specialized in the fields of infectious disease prevention and preventive medicine. At the time, infectious disease in North Korea was mainly caused by bacteria and viruses in unsanitary living environments. The KPA set up a special anti-infectious disease department in consideration of the soldiers living in the collective facilities. The second characteristic of the KPA military medical system is preventive medicine. Since early 1946, North Korea has been interested in preventive medicine and has established various medical facilities and personnel. In line with this history of preventive medicine, the preventive department was installed in the KPA military medical system.
Animals, Laboratory ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bacteria ; Communicable Diseases ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Financial Management ; Health Care Sector ; Hospitals, Military ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Military Personnel* ; Pharmacy ; Preventive Medicine ; Surgeons ; Veterans

PURPOSE: This study was done to investigate the prevalence and factors affecting body shape misperception among Korean adult women. METHODS: We analyzed raw data from the fourth Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families, for 7,658 women over 20 years of age. For the multiple logistic regression model, the dependent variable was existence of misperception (yes/no). RESULTS: The prevalence of body shape misperception was 42.6% (overestimation 6.5%, underestimation 36.1%). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age, education level, marital status, economic status and BMI were significantly associated with body shape underestimation. Education level and BMI were significantly associated with body shape overestimation. CONCLUSION: An effective obesity intervention program for women must reflect and monitor body shape perception as well as BMI.
Adult* ; Body Mass Index ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Longitudinal Studies ; Marital Status ; Obesity ; Prevalence* ; Weight Perception

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and correlates of depression among community-dwelling older adults (young-old vs old-old) in Korea. METHODS: Data on 11,250 older adults aged 65 or above, from the 2008 National Elderly Survey, were analyzed. RESULTS: Prevalence rate for depression was greater in old-old people (47.2%) than young-old people (24.7%). The logistic regression analysis revealed that gender, education, socioeconomic status (SES), living place, spouse, regular exercise, perceived health status, number of chronic disease, activity of daily living (ADL), instrumental activity of daily living (IADL), and cognitive function were significantly associated with depression in the young-old. However, in old-old people, education, SES, living status, religion, regular exercise, perceived health status, number of chronic disease, pain, ADL, IADL, and cognitive function were associated with depression. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that there are age differences in prevalence and correlates of depression in older Koreans. Therefore, age differences should be considered in studying and developing interventions for depression in older adults.
Activities of Daily Living ; Adult ; Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Depression ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Logistic Models ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Prevalence ; Social Class ; Spouses

Purpose: This descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the effect of compassionate competence, communication skills, and nursing work environment on person-centered care in general hospital nurses who cared for cancer patients. Methods: For the research, this study collected data from August 1 to September 1, in 2021 with 111 nurses who cared for cancer patients at three different general hospitals in Chungbuk. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, Mann-Whitney U test, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, stepwise multiple regression with the SPSS 23.0 program. Results: Factors influencing personcentered care in general hospital nurses who cared for cancer patients were compassionate competence (β=.41, p<.001), communication skills (β=.29, p<.001), nursing work environment (β=.21, p=.002), and gender (β=.16, p=.010). These factors explained 64.0% of person-centered care (F=49.83, p<.001). Conclusion The results of this study suggests that we need to develop intervention programs to strengthen the compassionate competence and communication skills in nurses caring for cancer patients, to improve the nursing work environment, and reflect gender characteristics.