Supply-Side Impact of Supporting Obstetrically Underserved Areas: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: There is limited evidence on the effectiveness of financial incentives in improving the shortage of obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN) specialists in underserved areas. This study aimed to examine whether the financial incentives for OB/GYN clinics were associated with improved availability of OB/GYN specialists in obstetrically underserved areas (OUA) and potentially obstetrically underserved areas (POUA) in South Korea.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed to observe all cities (n = 240) in South Korea for a period of 10 years (2011-2020).

Optimizing presentation formats for SF-6Dv2 health status valuation: a qualitative study using cognitive interviews.

Purpose: The SF-6Dv2 health status valuation using the discrete choice experiment (DCE) method requires effective presentation strategies to improve respondents' overall understanding and reduce bias, particularly in online surveys. This study aimed to determine the optimal presentation formats for DCE choice tasks through qualitative interviews.

Methods: We conducted cognitive interviews with 40 South Korean adults using the think-aloud and retrospective probing methods.

The Impact of Clusters With Distinct Social Determinants by a Two-Step Cluster Analysis on Cardiovascular Health.

Background: The prevalence and mortality rates of cardiovascular diseases have been consistently high over the past 10 years in Ulsan, South Korea. Given the importance of social determinants in cardiovascular health, it is imperative to determine clusters with social determinants by a cluster analysis and their relationships with cardiovascular health.

Objective: The aims of this study were to identity clusters with distinct social determinants and to compare cardiovascular health among the identified clusters.

Trends of health behaviors among cancer patients in Korea: a cross-sectional time series analysis.

Background: Health behaviors, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity play a vital role in cancer recovery and long-term survivorship. This study examines the health behaviors of Korean cancer patients, essential for their well-being and cancer recurrence prevention. We analyze annual trends and compare them with those of the general healthy population.

Exploring the Experiences of Managers and Practitioners in Infectious Disease Management Organizations During the COVID-19 Response: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Even before coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), unexpected new infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, novel influenza A and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) affected the Korean healthcare systems. Nevertheless, during the COVID-19 period, we still experienced difficulties in systematic response. Especially in Ulsan Metropolitan City, which had no confirmed cases during the MERS, the response infrastructure was also very insufficient.

Comparative analysis of oral health behaviour and utilisation of oral health care services in the general population and among patients with non-communicable diseases in Korea: a repeated cross-sectional survey conducted from 2008 to 2022.

Background: Understanding the oral health behaviour and utilisation of oral health care services among patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is essential for the development of oral health care management services for these patients. In this study, we comparatively analysed the trends in oral health behaviour and oral health care service utilisation among patients with various NCDs and the general population.

Methods: We analysed data obtained via the Korea Community Health Survey from 2008 to 2022.

Exploring the experiences of cancer patients: What drives them to seek treatment outside their residential area and what are the experiences resulting from that decision? A qualitative study.

Background: The centralizing cancer care has been a persistent trend, often justified by the volume-outcome relationship. However, this trend raises concerns about potential negative impacts, such as increased patient travel burden, treatment delays, and worsened regional disparities in cancer care. Consequently, there is a growing need for the establishment of a regional comprehensive cancer care system to minimize these disparities.

Bridging Experience and Practice: A Grounded Theory Study of Nurses' Hospitalisation Experiences as Patients or Family Members.

Aims: This study aimed to develop a grounded theory that explains how nurses' experiences as patients or family members influence their provision of patient-centred care.

Design: A grounded theory approach.

Methods: Twenty clinical nurses in South Korea participated; nine had experiences as patients and 11 as family members during hospitalisation.

Development and evaluation of an external second victim support program for nurses: a single-group feasibility study.

Background: Psychological support programs can help nurses who involved in patient safety incidents. However, most of these programs are operated internally by healthcare providers and utilize peer supporters, which may take a long time to implement. Therefore, there is a need to develop programs that can be used by healthcare providers in healthcare institutions that have difficulty implementing their own programs.

Estimating the Effect of Disclosure of Patient Safety Incidents in Diagnosis-Related Patient Safety Incidents: A Cross-sectional Study Using Hypothetical Cases.

Background: Disclosure of patient safety incidents (DPSIs) is a strategic measure to reduce the problems of patient safety incidents (PSIs). However, there are currently limited studies on the effects of DPSIs on resolving diagnosis-related PSIs. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the effects of DPSIs using hypothetical cases, particularly in diagnosis-related PSIs.

Korean National Burden of Disease: The Importance of Diabetes Management.

Diagnosing the current health status and disease burden in a population is crucial for public health interventions. The ability to compare the burden of different diseases through a single measure, such as disability-adjusted life years has become feasible and continues to be produced and updated through the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) study. However, the disease burden values of the GBD study do not accurately reflect the unique situation in a specific country with various circumstances.

Accuracy assessment of patient safety incident (PSI) codes and present-on-admission (POA) indicators: a cross-sectional analysis using the Patient Safety Incidents Inquiry (PSII) in Korea.

Background: Among the various methods used, administrative data collected for claims and billing purposes, such as diagnosis codes and present-on-admission (POA) indicators, can easily be employed to assess patient safety status. However, it is crucial that administrative data be accurate to generate valid estimates of adverse event (AE) occurrence. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the accuracy of diagnosis codes and POA indicators in patients with confirmed AEs in the hospital admission setting.

Qualitative Comparison of Perceptions Regarding Patient Engagement for Patient Safety by Physicians, Nurses, and Patients.

Purpose: Patient engagement in ensuring patient safety is widely acknowledged, there is still a need to explore how perceptions of patient engagement vary among different stakeholders within the healthcare system. We aimed to compare the perceptions regarding patient engagement for patient safety among physicians, nurses, and patients by exploring the perspectives.

Patients And Methods: A qualitative study, comprising three focus group discussions (six to eight people each), was conducted in South Korea.

Qualitative case study on the disability acceptance experiences of soldiers with disabilities.

Purpose: This study comprehensively examines the disability acceptance experience of individuals who become disabled following accidents in the military after enlistment.

Methods: In-depth interviews and participative observation of two soldiers with disabilities are conducted. Data sources encompass the transcripts from these interviews, relevant news videos, and articles on the participants.

Perception gaps of patient engagement for patient safety between healthcare professionals and the public in Korea.

Background: To ensure effective patient engagement, patients' efforts, partnerships with healthcare professionals, and the organisation's role in providing safe healthcare settings must be emphasised. Perception gaps regarding patient engagement between the public and healthcare professionals could prevent healthy partnerships from forming and hinder patient engagement activities. This study examined healthcare professionals' perception of patient engagement and compared the findings with that determined for the public in a previous study.

Development and Feasibility Evaluation of Smart Cancer Care 2.0 Based on Patient-Reported Outcomes for Post-Discharge Management of Patients with Cancer.

Purpose: A "Smart Cancer Care" platform that integrates patient-reported outcomes (PROs) with management has been established in Korea. This study focused on improving health behaviors and connecting patients to welfare services by introducing and assessing the feasibility of "Smart Cancer Care 2.0," an enhanced version designed for monitoring complications post-cancer treatment.

Importance of Quality of Medical Record: Differences in Patient Safety Incident Inquiry Results According to Assessment for Quality of Medical Record.

Background: Medical record review is the gold standard method of identifying adverse events. However, the quality of medical records is a critical factor that can affect the accuracy of adverse event detection. Few studies have examined the impact of medical record quality on the identification of adverse events.

Measuring the Burden of Disease in Korea Using Disability-Adjusted Life Years (2008-2020).

Background: The measurement of health levels and monitoring of characteristics and trends among populations and subgroups are essential for informing evidence-based policy decisions. This study aimed to examine the burden of disease in Korea for both the total population and subgroups in 2020, as well as analyze changes in disease burden from 2008 to 2020.

Methods: We employed the methodology developed in the Korean National Burden of Disease and Injuries Study to calculate disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by sex, causes, region, and income level from 2008 to 2020.

Effects of a supportive workplace environment on the success rate for smoking cessation camp.

Background: This study was conducted to identify the success rate for smoking cessation over time after participation in a therapeutic smoking cessation camp, and to identify how participant characteristics, including a supportive workplace environment for smoking cessation (SWESC), affect the success rate for smoking cessation.

Methods: In all, 296 participants at smoking cessation camps in Ulsan between 2015 and 2020 were investigated. The success rates of smoking cessation after weeks 4, 6, 12, and 24 at camp were investigated.

Comparison of diagnosis-based risk adjustment methods for episode-based costs to apply in efficiency measurement.

Background: The recent rising health spending intrigued efficiency and cost-based performance measures. However, mortality risk adjustment methods are still under consideration in cost estimation, though methods specific to cost estimate have been developed. Therefore, we aimed to compare the performance of diagnosis-based risk adjustment methods based on the episode-based cost to utilize in efficiency measurement.

Prioritization of Injury Prevention and Management Programs and Research and Development (R&D) Projects: Survey Using the Delphi Technique and Analytic Hierarchy Process.

We prioritized injury prevention and management programs, and research and development (R&D) projects using the Delphi method and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for national plan. We summarized 21 programs and 31 R&D projects based on opinions collected in the opinion survey and brainstorming. Expert panel evaluated program and project relevance in the two Delphi rounds to make consensus.

Comprehensive Measurement of the Burden of Disease due to Adverse Events: A New Analysis of the Cross-Sectional Patient Safety Incident Inquiry.

Background: A methodology for comprehensively and reasonably measuring the burden of disease due to adverse events has yet to be clearly established. In this study, a new and systematic method for measuring the burden of disease due to adverse events was tested by utilizing the results of a medical record review, which is commonly used as a gold standard.

Methods: Using the characteristics of preventable adverse events identified in the 2019 Patient Safety Incidents Inquiry (PSII), conducted to monitor the level of patient safety in Korea accurately, the resulting disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and economic costs were estimated.