PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to define and clarify the concept of political competence for nurses.METHODS: A hybrid model method was used to investigate the dimensions, attributes, and definitions of the concept. In the theoretical stage of the study, literature on nursing, politics, and other discipline were reviewed. In the fieldwork stage, individual in-depth interviews and focus groups interviews were conducted with politically seasoned experts or activists who had an understanding of the concept of political competence for extensive descriptions in nursing and field of health care.RESULTS: The concept of political competence was represented in four dimensions as political knowledge, political efficacy, political interaction, and political activity. In the political knowledge dimension, there were three attributes, namely, political knowledge, political information and systematic analysis ability. The political efficacy dimension had three attributes of internal political efficacy, external political efficacy, and self-pride of nursing profession. The political interaction dimension had three attributes of organizations and community service, networking, and persuasive power. The political activity dimension had six attributes of political leadership, political expression, assertive behavior, political advocacy, political participation, and policy intervention.CONCLUSION: This concept development might provide a basic understanding of developing a measurement tool and for constructing a theory promoting nurses' political competence.
Concept Formation ; Delivery of Health Care ; Focus Groups ; Leadership ; Mental Competency ; Methods ; Nursing ; Politics ; Professional Competence ; Seasons ; Social Welfare

PURPOSE: This study analyzed the features of humeral head decentralization in large to massive rotator cuff tears with a shoulder dislocation in the elderly. Moreover, shoulder instability and treatment were reviewed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From May 2005 to February 2017, Group A containing 45 cases (45 patients) over 65 years old accompanied by a large or massive rotator cuff tear with a shoulder dislocation and Group B containing 45 cases (45 patients) without a shoulder dislocation were enrolled. The mean ages in Groups A and B were 73.2 and 72.1 years old, and the mean follow-up periods were 30.7 and 31.3 months, respectively. Twenty-one cases (46.7%) in Group A underwent rotator cuff repair, and 8 cases (17.8%) underwent concomitant rotator cuff repair with Bankart repair. Sixteen cases (35.6%) underwent reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for cuff tear arthropathy. 45 cases (100%) in Group B underwent rotator cuff repair. The off-the center and head elevation were measured in the preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of Groups A and B. The preoperative and postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) score in Groups A and B were compared. RESULTS: In Groups A and B, the mean off-the centers were posterior 7.41 mm and posterior 2.02 mm (p=0.03), and the mean head elevations were superior 6.66 mm and superior 2.44 mm (p=0.02), respectively. The mean ASES scores of Groups A and B were 32.8 and 33.4 before surgery, and 77.1 (p=0.02) and 78.1 (p=0.02) after surgery (p=0.18), respectively. The mean UCLA scores of Groups A and B were 13.1 and 12.8 before surgery, and 28.9 (p=0.02) and 29.5 (p=0.01) after surgery (p=0.15), respectively. CONCLUSION: Patients over 65 years old with a shoulder dislocation in large to massive rotator cuff tears had higher off-the center and head elevation on the preoperative MRI than those without a shoulder dislocation. This measurement can help predict preceding shoulder instability. Early rotator cuff repairs should be performed and other treatments, such as Bankart repair and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, should also be considered.
Aged ; Arthroplasty ; California ; Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Humans ; Humeral Head ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Politics ; Rotator Cuff ; Shoulder Dislocation ; Shoulder ; Surgeons ; Tears

This paper examines WHO's involvement in South Korea within the context of the changing organization of public health infrastructure in Korea during the years spanning from the end of the Japanese occupation, through the periods of American military occupation and the Korean War, and to the early years of the Park Chung Hee regime in the early 1960s, in order to demonstrate how tuberculosis came to be addressed as a public health problem. WHO launched several survey missions and relief efforts before and during the Korean War and subsequently became deeply involved in shaping government policy for public health through a number of technical assistance programs, including a program for tuberculosis control in the early 1960s. This paper argues that the principal concern for WHO was to start rebuilding the public health infrastructure beyond simply abolishing the remnants of colonial practices or showcasing the superiority of American practices vis-à-vis those practiced under a Communist rule. WHO consistently sought to address infrastructural problems by strengthening the government's role by linking the central and regional health units, and this was especially visible in its tuberculosis program, where it attempted to take back the responsibilities and functions previously assumed by voluntary organizations like the Korea National Tuberculosis Administration (KNTA). This interest in public health infrastructure was fueled by WHO's discovery of a cost-effective, drug-based, and community-oriented horizontal approach to tuberculosis control, with a hope that these practices would replace the traditional, costly, disease-specific, and seclusion-oriented vertical approach that relied on sanatoria. These policy imperatives were met with the unanticipated regime change from a civilian to a military government in 1961, which created an environment favorable for the expansion of the public health network. Technology and politics were intricately intertwined in the emergence of a new infrastructure for public health in Korea, as this case of tuberculosis control illustrates.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Global Health ; Hope ; Humans ; Korea ; Korean War ; Military Personnel ; Occupations ; Politics ; Public Health ; Religious Missions ; Tuberculosis ; World Health Organization

The Motor Vessel Sewol accident was a horrible accident, and it had complex ripple effects in various areas such as politics, economy, and culture. In particular, the psychological impact of each individual in Korean society was great, and various explanations for the causes of such psychological mass trauma would be possible. One of these important causes is the historical memory about common cultural custom. Therefore, the historical and cultural memory of the school trips shared by members of Korean society may be one of the causes of the psychological trauma. This paper aims to explain the cultural and social functions of school trips in East Asian societies from a historical point of view. In addition, we will also analyse the reasons why shared cultural memories contributed to the formation of collective trauma of the accident from a cultural, anthropological and psychiatric point of view.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Memory ; Politics ; Psychological Trauma ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This article aims to contribute to the literature on health and politics in the Philippines. So far, the wealth of studies on the intersection of these two in the local context has been mostly focused on issues of health sector reform and specific health policies or legislations. Unlike elsewhere, the use of health in elections in the Philippines, the most important political activity in any democracy, remains largely understudied. This article aimed to fill this gap by studying the ways health was used in the 2016 Philippines elections. It mapped the ways health was used as an electoral currency, meaning as a means for vote brokerages during local elections.

METHODOLOGY: The observations that informed this study were based on a political ethnographic study in Quezon City. In-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observations were conducted among voters and politicians of two vote-rich electoral districts in the city. The transcripts and notes from the data gathered were coded and thematically analyzed.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Voters and politicians use health as a means of transactional exchange of votes during focal elections-an electoral currency. Politicians use their control of public health facilities and services to secure votes while voters simultaneously use their vote as a leverage to gain access to these health facilities and services and improve its delivery in their communities. So while politicians use health to reinforce patron-client ties during elections, voters take advantage of its opportunities to improve their everyday life.

Blockchain is at the center of attention recently and it is expected to have a huge impact on healthcare industry including dentistry as well. Blockchain is a fundamental technology behind Bitcoin and itis all about decentralization, security, reliability, and transparency. These characteristics of the technology empower it to disrupt the current healthcare industry in innumerable practices such as supply chain management in pharmaceuticals to prevent the counterfeited medicine, clinical trials to guarantee transparency, healthcare information exchanges or personal health record systems to ensure data integrity and interoperability, etc. It will surely revolutionize the way the current healthcare system works; from provider-oriented to patient-centered. Hence, it is time to seriously consider how we could be a part of this blockchain revolution in dentistry.
Clinical Medicine ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dentistry ; Health Care Sector ; Health Records, Personal ; Information Systems ; Politics

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the success and barrier factors of hypertension registration program in Goseong community health center proven improving hypertension treatment rate by community health survey. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative research using both a performance review of the program and in-depth interviews with the 8 operators who had worked for this program in April 2018. RESULTS: In this study, the success factors were analysed as follows: First, the willingness to improve health indicators, second, the implementation of large-scale projects, third, improving program processes, fourth, continuous efforts for achievement of goal, not output or reward, and the barrier factors are as follows. First, uniform output monitering, second, evaluation after the fashion of contest, third, the confusing concept of an integrated health promotion program, fourth, the attitude of the person worried with task change. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the health community health center should follow the basic principles of public health, and the central government should introduce a health policy of decentralization.
Clothing ; Community Health Centers ; Gangwon-do* ; Health Policy ; Health Promotion* ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Politics ; Public Health ; Qualitative Research ; Reward

BACKGROUND: This paper describes a simple-to-use and reliable screening tool called Critical Task Exposure Screening (CTES), developed by a chemical company. The tool assesses if the exposure to a chemical for a task is likely to be within acceptable levels. METHODS: CTES is a Microsoft Excel tool, where the inhalation risk score is calculated by relating the exposure estimate to the corresponding occupational exposure limit (OEL) or occupational exposure band (OEB). The inhalation exposure is estimated for tasks by preassigned ART1.5 activity classes and modifying factors. RESULTS: CTES requires few inputs. The toxicological data, including OELs, OEBs, and vapor pressure are read from a database. Once the substance is selected, the user specifies its concentration and then chooses the task description and its duration. CTES has three outputs that may trigger follow-up: (1) inhalation risk score; (2) identification of the skin hazard with the skin warnings for local and systemic adverse effects; and (3) status for carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic effects. CONCLUSION: The tool provides an effective way to rapidly screen low-concern tasks, and quickly identifies certain tasks involving substances that will need further review with, nevertheless, the appropriate conservatism. This tool shows that the higher-tier ART1.5 inhalation exposure assessment model can be included effectively in a screening tool. After 2 years of worldwide extensive use within the company, CTES is well perceived by the users, including the shop floor management, and it fulfills its target of screening tool.
Follow-Up Studies ; Inhalation ; Inhalation Exposure ; Mass Screening* ; Occupational Exposure ; Politics ; Risk Assessment* ; Risk Management ; Skin ; Vapor Pressure

In this article, I looked at the life of Yun Il-sun, a representative medical scientist of modern Korea, and examined the following problems. First, I took note of the position of the Korean people in the academic system of the Japanese colonial empire and restored the life of Yun Il-sun as specifically as possible. Yun was educated among Japanese people from elementary school to university. Although he received the best education at Old System High School and Imperial University and grew to be a prominent medical scientist, he could not overcome his identity as a colonized. Yun Il-sun, who moved from Keijo Imperial University to Severance Union Medical College, involved in activities founding of the Korean Medical Association and the Korean Medical Journal. Second, I the meaning of ‘culture’ to the intellectuals in the periphery. Old System High School and Imperial University where Yun Il-sun was educated were the hotbed of ‘culturalism.’ Yun's college days were the heyday of Taisho Democracy, and students were attracted to Marxism, Christian poverty movement, Buddhist cultivation movement and so on. Yun sought to overcome the ideological of young people through the acquisition of ‘culture.’ The ‘culture’ emphasized by Yun had an enlightenment characteristic that emphasized education, but it also functioned as a‘identity culture of educated elites.’ Third, I used the concept of ‘colonial academism’ and examined the aspects and characteristics of the colonial-periphery academic field, focusing on medicine. Yun Il-sun was a Korean professor at the Keijo Imperial University. He founded an academic society and published an academic journal for Koreans. He attempted to reproduce scholarship by doctoral dissertations. At the same time, several facts show that he was also in the affected area of ‘colonial academism’: the fact that he was kicked out of the Keijo Imperial University, the fact that the Korean Medical Association and the Korean Medical Journal were banned by Governor General, the fact that his students asked for doctoral degrees from Kyoto Imperial University where he studied. Yun Il-sun crossed the limits of ‘colonial academism’ and acted as the agent of empire. This was made possible by the characteristics of the academic discipline of medicine, the environment of the Severance Union Medical College, and personal traits of superior ability and indifference to politics. I the postcolonial evolution of the ‘colonial academism’ and ‘culturalism.’ The mix of continuity and discontinuity from ‘colonial academism’ and the hybrid of Japanese academism and American academism, the Korean characteristics of ‘postcolonial academism.’ Yun tried to harmonize the American academism with the Japanese academism and the purity of academism. This effort was revealed as an emphasis on basic medicine and natural sciences. As combined with culturalism and indifference to politics, he was recognized as the symbol of ivory tower and academism.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Colon ; Communism ; Democracy ; Education ; Fellowships and Scholarships ; Humans ; Japan* ; Korea ; Natural Science Disciplines ; Pathology ; Politics ; Poverty

PURPOSE: To design software with a novel algorithm, which analyzes the tortuosity and vascular dilatation in fundal images of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) patients with an acceptable accuracy for detecting plus disease. METHODS: Eighty-seven well-focused fundal images taken with RetCam were classified to three groups of plus, non-plus, and pre-plus by agreement between three ROP experts. Automated algorithms in this study were designed based on two methods: the curvature measure and distance transform for assessment of tortuosity and vascular dilatation, respectively as two major parameters of plus disease detection. RESULTS: Thirty-eight plus, 12 pre-plus, and 37 non-plus images, which were classified by three experts, were tested by an automated algorithm and software evaluated the correct grouping of images in comparison to expert voting with three different classifiers, k-nearest neighbor, support vector machine and multilayer perceptron network. The plus, pre-plus, and non-plus images were analyzed with 72.3%, 83.7%, and 84.4% accuracy, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The new automated algorithm used in this pilot scheme for diagnosis and screening of patients with plus ROP has acceptable accuracy. With more improvements, it may become particularly useful, especially in centers without a skilled person in the ROP field.
Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Neural Networks (Computer) ; Politics ; Retinopathy of Prematurity ; Support Vector Machine ; Telemedicine