Earticle

Objectives: This cross-sectional correlational study aimed to examine the hospital characteristics associated with patients’ experiences of care reported by healthcare consumers in South Korea. Methods: This study used data from the second Korean Patient Experience Survey conducted by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA). Additional hospital characteristics were obtained from the HIRA and Korea Institute for Healthcare Association websites. Results: In total, 149 hospitals were included. We found that high-technology hospitals had a significant relationship with the scores on all patient experience dimensions. Hospital nurse staffing levels, location, and high technology status were significantly associated with the nurse service dimension. Conclusions: Patient experience-of-care scores varied according to hospital characteristics. The findings of this study provide preliminary evidence for future research. Further research should examine patient and hospital characteristics that could affect patient experience of care scores in Korean hospitals.

Objectives: This study aimed to understand the level of unmet medical experience in terms of medical accessibility and to provide basic data necessary for medical accessibility and policy establishment. Methods: The research data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical program, using the original data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey. Results: It was confirmed that the unmet medical rate continued to decrease. The most common reasons for unmet medical care were "lack of time," with the second being "economic reasons" and the third being "light symptoms." And Gender, age, average monthly gross household income, and insurance benefit types were found to have a significant causal relationship with unmet medical care was not met. Conclusions: The cause of the unmet medical care is believed to be resolved if strengthening coverage, providing information, and diversity of policies are promoted at the same time.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify factors influencing the psychological empowerment of hospital nurses. Methods: The 146 nurses working at two general hospitals in B Metropolitan City participated in this study. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and hierarchical regression. Results: The results showed that psychological empowerment was positively correlated with professional self-concept (r=.58, p<.001) and happiness (r=.26, p=.006). The multiple regression model had an adjusted R2 of 39.0%, indicating that nurses over 40 years of age and professional self-concept were significant predictors of psychological empowerment. Conclusions: Hospital and nurse organization managers must create an environment where clinical nurses can establish professional self-concepts. To this end, developing and applying various strategies and educational programs to improve psychological empowerment is necessary.

Objectives: This study attempted to identify the effects of job esteem, nursing practice environment, and communication within organizations on hospital nurses’ quality of nursing services. Methods: The sample comprised 210 nurses from four general hospitals with 100-500 beds. Data were collected using self-directed questionnaires and analyzed using t-tests, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. Results: Job esteem, nursing practice environment, and communication within organizations were positively correlated with the quality of nursing services. Stepwise regression analysis identified job esteem (β=.533, p<.001) and communication within organizations (β=.280, p<.001) as factors affecting the quality of nursing services, with a total explanatory power of 58.0%. Conclusions: To enhance the quality of nursing services for hospital nurses, it is necessary to develop and implement an education program that can strengthen communication within organizations and promote job esteem.

연구목적: 이 연구는 만성신장질환자의 사회경 제적 지위와 사망간의 연관성을 확인하기 위함이 다. 연구방법: 이 연구는 국민건강보험청구자료를 활용하여 만성신장질환자 3,172명을 대상으로 연구 를 수행하였다. 개인의 소득은 국민건강보험료를 이용하여 저소득층(소득수준의 30%미만), 중소득층 (30-70%), 고소득층(70%)이상으로 구분하였다. 만성 신장질환자의 소득수준과 사망의 연관성을 확인하 기 위하여 콕스비례위험모형을 이용하였다. 연구결 과: 소득수준과 사망간 가능한 교란요인을 보정한 후, 저소득층의 만성신장질환자는 고소득층의 만성 신장질환자 보다 1.314배 사망의 위험이 높았다 (HR 1.315[CI 1.096–1.577], p-value 0.003). 특히, 투석을 받는 저소득층 만성신장질환자들은 고소득 층 투석환자보다 사망의 위험이 1.561배 높았다 (HR 1.561[1.123~2.170], p-value 0.008). 결론: 이 연구는 저소득 만성신장질환자가 사망 위험이 가 장 높다는 것을 발견하였다. 저소득층 환자를 대상 으로 정책 및 의료 서비스가 우선이 된다면 취약 한 저소득층의 사망률을 줄이는 데 도움이 될 수 있을 것이라 제언한다.

Objectives: To examine the association between socioeconomic status and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Methods: We analyzed the data obtained from 3,172 patients with chronic kidney disease from the Korean National Health Insurance claims database. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare the mortality rates between the different income groups after adjusting for possible confounding risk factors. Results: A low income was significantly associated with a high mortality rate after adjusting for covariates (HR 1.315[1.096–1.577]). In addition, dialysis patients with low incomes were more likely to have higher mortality risk than those with high incomes (HR 1.561 [1.123–2.170]). Conclusions: Low-income patients with chronic kidney disease have the highest mortality risk. Promoting targeted policies and priority health services for low-income patients may help reduce the mortality rate in this vulnerable group.

Objectives: This study was intended to investigate the prevalence of osteoporosis in adults aged 50 years or older and to determined the relationship between multimorbidity and risk factors for osteoporosis. Methods: Data from the one-and two uear surveys of the 8th National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used, and those aged 50 or older who paraticipated in the survey were selected as the final analysis subjects. Sample analysis was performed using SPSS version 26. Results: As a result of examining factors related to chronic diseases and osteoporosis, we determined sex, age, education, occupation, and national heath insurance to be general characteristics, and drinking frequency, smoking, activity limitation, stress, physical activity, and subjective health status to be health-related characeristics. We found a significant relationship between sleep duration and BMI. If we look at the relationship between multiple chronic diseases and osteoporosis, there was a significant correlation between 2-3 multimorbidity. Conclusions: Patients with multimorbidity must be infromed of the risk of osteoporosis and research into its prevention and management is needed.

Objectives: This study sought to present a holistic disease administration plan to simultaneously provide youth a psychiatric-psychological therapy against chronic diseases. To this end, we closely examined the correlation with multi-faceted mental health problems for major chronic diseases of which the prevalence is high in adolescents. Methods: This study utilized the data of Korea Children and Youth Panel Survey, which surveyed a panel of first-year high school students in 2016. A total of 1,564 students were included in the analysis. Results: When the correlation between chronic disease and emotional problem was examined, social withdrawal and physical symptoms such as anxiety and sleep disorder were correlated. The analysis of each chronic diseases revealed; asthma patients were suffering from social withdrawal, and obesity patients experienced depression. Conclusions: This study suggests that, when managing chronic diseased in adolescents, a comprehensive approach that, includes emotional problems and mental health management and not limites to physical symptoms, is needed. In addition, continuous attention and education from family and chronic disease therapists are needed.