Perceptions of a Dignified Death Among Elderly Veterans Using Homecare in South Korea

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 155-161
Author(s):  
Sun A. Park ◽  
Ji Young Lim ◽  
Young Mi Yoon
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
College Education ◽  
Social Infrastructure ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Welfare Policies ◽  
Medical Expenses ◽  
Disease Characteristics ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Descriptive Survey

This study was conducted to investigate perceptions of a dignified death among elderly veterans using homecare in South Korea. This study was a descriptive survey. The subjects were 161 elderly veterans using the homecare service of a national veterans’ hospital for 1 year or more. Participants’ demographic, illness, and care characteristics and perceptions of a dignified death were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Participants’ mean dignified death perception level was 3.18 on a 4-point Likert-type scale. Participants who received medical services free of charge had higher perceptions of a dignified death than those who had to pay. Having at least a college education, having above-average economic status, and being cared for by spouses or professionals were associated with higher perceptions of a dignified death. Participants’ perception of a dignified death differed by socioeconomic factors rather than disease characteristics. Therefore, to improve perceptions of a dignified death among elderly veterans using homecare services, it might be necessary for the state to assume greater responsibility for their medical expenses, to build better community-based end-of-life care systems, and to promote health and welfare policies for dignified death–oriented social infrastructure.

scholarly journals And yet Again: Having Breakfast Is Positively Associated with Lower BMI and Healthier General Eating Behavior in Schoolchildren

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1351
Author(s):  
Peggy Ober ◽  
Carolin Sobek ◽  
Nancy Stein ◽  
Ulrike Spielau ◽  
Sarah Abel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Status ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
School Setting ◽  
School Type ◽  
Community Based Interventions ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Nutritional Behavior ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
National Programs

Given the high prevalence of childhood overweight, school-based programs aiming at nutritional behavior may be a good starting point for community-based interventions. Therefore, we investigated associations between school-related meal patterns and weight status in 1215 schoolchildren. Anthropometry was performed on-site in schools. Children reported their meal habits, and parents provided family-related information via questionnaires. Associations between nutritional behavior and weight status were estimated using hierarchical linear and logistic regression. Analyses were adjusted for age, socio–economic status, school type, migration background, and parental weight status. Having breakfast was associated with a lower BMI-SDS (βadj = −0.51, p = 0.004) and a lower risk of being overweight (ORadj = 0.30, p = 0.009), while having two breakfasts resulting in stronger associations (BMI-SDS: βadj = −0.66, p < 0.001; risk of overweight: ORadj = 0.22, p = 0.001). Likewise, children who regularly skipped breakfast on school days showed stronger associations (BMI-SDS: β = 0.49, p < 0.001; risk of overweight: OR = 3.29, p < 0.001) than children who skipped breakfast only occasionally (BMI-SDS: β = 0.43, p < 0.001; risk of overweight: OR = 2.72, p = 0.032). The associations persisted after controlling for parental SES and weight status. Therefore, our data confirm the school setting as a suitable starting point for community-based interventions and may underline the necessity of national programs providing free breakfast and lunch to children.

scholarly journals Looking into the life of technology-dependent children and their caregivers in Korea: lifting the burden of too many responsibilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Hyeon Choi ◽  
Min Sun Kim ◽  
Cho Hee Kim ◽  
In Gyu Song ◽  
June Dong Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Time Pressure ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Primary Caregivers ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Tertiary Hospital ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dependent Children

Abstract Background The number of technology-dependent children (TDC) is increasing in South Korea, but available healthcare services after their discharge are poor. This study aimed to examine how TDC and caregivers live at home and identify their difficulties and needs regarding home care with few services to support them. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary hospital for children in South Korea. A self-reported questionnaire was completed by primary caregivers of TDC who were younger than 19 years and had been dependent on medical devices for more than 3 months. Technologies included home mechanical ventilation, oxygen supplementation, suction equipment, enteral feeding tube, and home total parenteral nutrition. Patterns of healthcare use and home care of TDC and caregivers’ perception toward child were assessed. Results A total of 74 primary caregivers of TDC completed a self-reported questionnaire. About 60% children were aged under 5 years. There were 31.1% children who required both respiratory and nutritional support. On average, caregivers took care of a child for 14.4 (±6.1) hours, slept for 5.6 (±1.6) hours, and spent 2.4 h per day on personal activities. Children used hospital services for 41.3 (±45.6) days in 6 months, and most (78.1%) were transported through private car/ambulance. Participants (75.6%) reported taking more than an hour to get to the hospital. More than 80% of caregivers responded that child care is physically very burdensome. The only statistically significant relationships was between economic status and financial burden (p = 0.026). Conclusions Caregivers of TDC reported having significant time pressure regarding childcare-related tasks, insufficient time for personal activities, and inefficient hospital use because of inadequate medical services to support them in South Korea. Thus, it is necessary to support caregivers and develop a home care model based on current medical environment.

The Future of Health Care in South Korea and the UK

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 375-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bob Matthews ◽  
Yoonsoon Jung
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Public Provision ◽  
Capitalist System ◽  
Private Provision ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Health Care Delivery Systems ◽  
The Uk

This paper discusses and compares the origin and development of the health care systems of South Korea and the UK from the end of WW2 and endeavours to compare outcomes. The paper emphasises the importance of war as a stimulus to the development of national health services in both countries and argues that there is convergence between the UK's nationalised NHS and South Korea's US-modelled capitalist system. Overall, we conclude that there is a possibility not only that the financing and nature of the Korean and UK health care delivery systems may show convergence, but it is not impossible that they will ‘change places’ with the UK system dominated by private provision and South Korea's by public provision.

scholarly journals Cognitive output of a neuropsychological stimulation program in an elderly day care center with low educated participants: An observational study

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-168
Author(s):  
Maria Vânia Silva Nunes ◽  
Ana Almeida Pinho ◽  
Helena Mauricio Campos ◽  
Paula Abreu ◽  
Isabel Pinto Gonçalves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Day Care ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Day Care Center ◽  
Social Economic Status ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Low Educated

ABSTRACT Objective: In the present paper we present an observational study of the implementation of a Neuropsychological Stimulation Program at an Elderly Day Care Center in low-educated participants with very similar backgrounds concerning social economic status. Methods: The implemented program tackled several dimensions, including daily orientation sessions, cognitive stimulation sessions twice a week, followed by movement sessions, and structured sessions conducted every two weeks. Cognitive Evaluation was performed before and after implementation of the program. Results: Results are discussed taking into consideration cognitive outputs as well as non-cognitive outputs and the specificities of community-based intervention. Conclusion: It was concluded that community-based intervention is set to become vital in promoting dementia prevention.

scholarly journals Impact of Severity of Chronic Liver Disease on Health-Related Economics

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fakhar Ali Qazi Arisar ◽  
Muhammad Kamran ◽  
Ramlah Nadeem ◽  
Wasim Jafri
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Liver Disease ◽  
Chronic Liver Disease ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Treatment Compliance ◽  
Chronic Liver ◽  
Medical Expenses ◽  
Severity Of Disease ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Impact

Background: Chronic liver disease (CLD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is accountable for a multifaceted disease encumbrance upsetting the psychological, physical, and economic health of not only the patients but also their caregivers. Objectives: The study purposes to cover the economic aspect of CLD to comprehend the financial burden imposed on the patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. The CLD patients presenting in gastroenterology clinics were recruited, and their socio-demographic, financial, and disease-related information including Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score and Child Turcotte Pugh (CTP) scores were collected. Out of 190 CLD patients enrolled, 127 (67.2%) were males. The mean age was 50.09 years. Variables assessed include self-perceived social/economic status, self-perception of disease responsibility for worsening of social/economic situation, the impact of the disease on economic status due to medical expense, the impact of economic status on treatment compliance due to medical expenses, impact of severity of disease on socioeconomic status and treatment compliance, and impact of gender on disease status and treatment compliance. Results: Regardless of the disease duration, CLD significantly impacted a patient’s life, as 81% and 69% of the patients blamed their disease responsible for the worsening of social and economic conditions, respectively. In our study, 85% of patients had consumed all savings during their course of illness, and 67% had to borrow money for medical expenses. Nearly half of the patients had to leave or cut short their medicines, skip the physician's appointment, or defer their children's education. One-third of patients had unpaid medical and utility bills or even skipped their meals. The severity of disease affected the socioeconomic status significantly (89% in CTP class C vs. 40% in CTP class A). Patients with worsening socioeconomic status had significantly higher MELD scores as compared to those with stable socioeconomic status. Conclusions: Chronic liver disease imposes incredible socioeconomic encumbrance on patients and the family unit, and CLD associated expenditures influence the family unit’s everyday working and therapeutic compliance, which is directly linked to the severity of disease expressed in terms of CTP and MELD scores.

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