Public Preferences in Resource Allocation for Insurance Coverage of Dental Implant Service in South Korea: Citizens’ Jury

The Korean government sought to include dental implant services for the elderly in the benefits package of the national health insurance. In 2014, the Citizens’ Jury was held to discuss the topic, during which thirty jurors, randomly selected from the 2665 applicants, participated in a day-long deliberation process after having an information session on the topic by a team of experts. There was a substantial shift in opinion during the deliberation session toward a more cost-conscious view. Most jurors supported limiting the coverage of dental implant to only one tooth per individual given the extent of the financial burden that will be imposed on the population. They opposed covering implant services for the front teeth, given that the implant of front teeth generally serves aesthetic purposes rather than restoring mastication function. The government’s final decision in 2014 was to offer coverage up to two teeth, regardless of tooth location. This scheme based on the jury’s recommendations in 2014 has been implemented without policy failure to date, which shows that the lay public can meaningfully contribute to a decision-making process regarding controversial agendas such as benefits packages for expensive health services.

Optimizing the Virtual Otolaryngology Residency Information Sessions: A Survey of Applicants

The 2020-2021 otolaryngology residency application cycle has been immensely distorted by travel restrictions mandated in response to coronavirus disease 2019, limiting opportunities for applicants to meet and rotate with programs of interest. The purpose of this study was to evaluate otolaryngology applicants’ preferences toward the content and format of virtual residency information sessions. An anonymous online survey was developed to gauge applicants’ virtual exposure to otolaryngology programs and investigate their preferences during virtual sessions. Almost all respondents attended at least 1 virtual information session (89%). Respondents felt that the most important aspects of these sessions were meeting residents, learning about operative volume, and meeting faculty. The majority (85%) preferred these sessions last no longer than 2 hours. Participants preferred virtual sessions to include breakout sessions with participant video/microphone on. These findings have implications for future virtual resident recruitment strategies.

RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE MEDIA INDUSTRY

<p><em>The objective of this community service program was to raise awareness about sexual harassment in the workplace, particularly in the media industry. This community service was comprised of two sessions – at Swiss German University and SMK Paramarta, Tangerang. The targeted audiences were:1. High school and university students; 2. Media practitioners. Each session was consisted of the following activities: 1.Movie: “More than Work”; 2. Information session by the Director, Luviana; 3. Panel discussion; 4. Question and answer session; 5. Survey. Prior to the execution of each session, a survey was conducted on those who registered to attend. The purpose was to compare the pre-event results with the post-event results of each session. Results of the post-event A survey showed that 84,6% of respondents felt that they have acquired new knowledge about the media industry; and 84,7% of respondents felt that trough this panel discussion, they’ve become more knowledgeable about sexual harassment. Therefore, it can be concluded that the event A was effective in achieving the objective of this community service. Unfortunately, there was a high discrepancy in the number of respondents of the event B at SMK Paramarta, with 32 students responding to the pre-event survey, and only 7 students responding to the post-event survey. Therefore, the comparison was not valid. However, some results were alarming. This means that there is still a long way to go in the mission to educate the young generation about sexual harassment. Through these findings, it is concluded that a special effort must be made for teenagers.</em></p><p><strong>ABSTRACT (INDONESIAN):</strong> Tujuan program pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini adalah untuk meningkatkan kesadaran tentang pelecehan seksual di tempat kerja, terutama di industri media. Pengabdian masyarakat ini terdiri dari dua sesi - di Universitas Swiss German dan SMK Paramarta, Tangerang. Khalayak yang ditargetkan adalah: 1. Siswa sekolah menengah atas dan mahasiswa; 2. Praktisi media. Setiap sesi terdiri dari kegiatan-kegiatan berikut: 1. Film: <em>“More than Work”</em>; 2. Sesi informasi oleh Sutradara, Luviana; 3. Diskusi panel; 4. Sesi tanya jawab; 5. Survei. Sebelum pelaksanaan setiap sesi, survei dilakukan pada mereka yang mendaftar untuk hadir. Tujuannya adalah untuk membandingkan hasil pra-acara dengan hasil pasca-acara dari setiap sesi. Hasil survei pasca-acara A menunjukkan bahwa 84,6% responden merasa telah memperoleh pengetahuan baru tentang industri media; dan 84,7% responden merasa bahwa melalui diskusi panel ini, mereka menjadi lebih berpengetahuan tentang pelecehan seksual. Maka, dapat disimpulkan bahwa acara A efektif dalam mencapai tujuan layanan kepada masyarakat ini. Namun, ada perbedaan yang lebih tinggi dalam jumlah responden pada sesi B di SMK Paramarta, dengan 32 siswa menanggapi survei pra-acara, dan hanya 7 siswa yang menanggapi survei pasca-acara. Karena itu, perbandingan dianggap tidak valid. Namun, beberapa hasil mengkhawatirkan. Ini berarti bahwa jalan masih panjang dalam misi untuk mendidik generasi muda tentang pelecehan seksual. Berdasarkan temuan ini, disimpulkan bahwa diperlukan perhatian khusus bagi kalangan remaja.</p>

Understanding the Obstacles to Uptake of Intervention Programmes and Services for Persons with Dementia

Background: Utilisation of intervention programmes and services for Persons with Dementia (PWD) has been generally modest despite the growing numbers. One reason has been the lack of knowledge about dementia and information on such services. Objective: We sought to close this gap by providing caregivers with an information session about dementia and the importance and availability of related services. We explored the uptake of intervention programmes and services and reasons for non-uptake thereafter. Methods: Two hundred and seventy-five PWD and caregiver dyads attended the Dyad Education and Empowerment Programme (DEEP). At the DEEP, while caregivers underwent an information session, PWD were assessed by a multidisciplinary team on their need and suitability for programmes and services such as daycare, cognitive engagement programmes and physical rehabilitation. The dyads then received individualized recommendations on the appropriate services, if any. Follow-up through medical records review and phone calls was conducted one month after DEEP to ascertain if the dyads had acted upon the recommendations and if not, what difficulties they encountered. Results: One hundred and eleven PWD received recommendations, of which 40 (36.0%) agreed and enrolled in the services while 71 (64%) declined. Thematic analysis of the reasons for non-uptake revealed 3 themes: PWD-related factors (e.g., refusal, functional improvement or decline), caregiverrelated factors (adequacy of care at home, other care arrangements), and service-related factors (e.g., cost, timing). Conclusion: Despite adequate information, there are other reasons for non-uptake of dementia- related services, some of which should be addressed to improve service updates and to provide better care for PWD.