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This study came to be carried out in order to rightly deliver knowledge and to promote a change into positive recognition in relation to the adjusted water fluoridation program, which is operated for improving people's oral health. Questionnaire survey was carried out targeting 788 students for the department of dental hygiene at 5 universities where are located in Busan Metropolitan City, Ulsan Metropolitan City, and Masan in Gyeongsangnam-do Province from April 26, 2010 to May 4. Data analysis was performed descriptive statistical analysis and Pearson's chi-square test by using SPSS-PC Program 12.0. The significant level was indicated in the level of p<0.05. 1. The awareness level of water fluoridation program stood at 301 people (99.3%) for region with water fluoridation program and 410 people (84.5%) for region without water fluoridation program, thereby having been indicated to be higher in region with water fluoridation program (p=0.008). 2. The awareness rate of right objective was indicated to be higher (p<0.001) in region with water fluoridation program with 299 people (98.7%). 3. A method of deciding on operating the water fluoridation program was indicated to be high (p=0.002) in 'being decided by the Ministry of Health & Welfare' in both region with water fluoridation program and region without water fluoridation program. 4. The awareness rate of safety on the water fluoridation program was indicated to be high (p<0.001) in region with water fluoridation program with 96 people (31.7%) as for 'being likely to be very right.' It can be known that undergraduates for the department of dental hygiene who dwell in region with operation of water fluoridation program have high recognition and knowledge related to the water fluoridation program. Accordingly, it is considered that there is a need of general education on objective, safety and effect of water fluoridation program.

The purpose of this study was to examine college students' perception on the water fluoridation program contribute to the expansion and development of the water fluoridation program in the future and provide college students with continuous edution and introduction materials about its effects and objectives. The survey with convenience sampling was carried out to 699 college students Province from April 26, 2010 to May 4. Data analysis was performed descriptive statistical analysis and Pearson's chi-square test by using PASW Statistics 18.0. The significant level was indicated in the level of p<0.05. 1. The awareness level of health science college students at 73 people (20.9%) for college students and 67 people (19.2%) for health science college students, thereby having been indicated to be higher in health science college students (p=0.61). 2. The awareness rate of right objective was indicated to be higher (p<0.001) in region with health science college students with 114 people (32.6%). 3. A method of deciding on operating the water fluoridation program was indicated to be high (p=0.65) in ‘conservative attitutdes’ in both health science college students and college students. 4. The awareness rate of safety on the water fluoridation program was indicated to be high (p<0.67) in health science college students with 83 people (23.7%) as for ‘being likely to be right.’ It can be known that undergraduates for the college students' who dwell in health science college students have high recognition and knowledge related to the water fluoridation program. Accordingly, it is considered that there is a need of general education on objective, safety and effect of water fluoridation program.

일반 주민들의 인지도가 낮고 찬반논쟁이 있는 정책의 실행을 결정하기 위한 방안으로 여론조사를 실시할 경우, 그 결과의 타당성과 신뢰성을 제고할 수 있는 정확한 조사방법이 필요하다. 이 연구는 찬반논란이 있는 수돗물 불소농도 조정사업을 사례로 정책결정과정에서 여론조사를 통해 주민의견을 반영하고자 할 때 고려해야 할 요소가 무엇인지를 살펴보고 주민여론을 수렴하는 과학적인 방안을 모색해 보고자 실험설계적 여론조사와 포커스 그룹 인터뷰를 실시하였다. 연구결과 수불사업에 대한 주민들의 인지도와 태도는 주어진 정보의 종류와 양에 따라 급격하게 변화하였고, 여론조사 실시 시 제공되는 정보의 순서와 양, 여론조사 실시 방법(전화 및 면접조사) 및 응답자 특성이 중요한 영향을 미치는 것을 알 수 있었다. 또한, 지역보건정책 실행 결정에서 주민의견수렴에 대한 요구가 높았으며, 이러한 요구를 실질적으로 반영할 수 있는 장치마련이 필요한 것을 알 수 있었다.

Creating and conducting a valid and reliable opinion poll survey is not an easy but highly important task, especially when the surveys are to be used as a tool for decision-making to implement local public health programs. In particular, for programs that have low awareness among local residents but may have a major impact on citizens' life, developing a scientific method to conduct valid and reliable polls becomes more critical. In this study, we took a mixed-methods approach: We conducted focus group interviews with 22 people and surveys of a semi-experimental design with 1,200 randomly selected respondents. Our analysis showed that local residents' attitudes and awareness of the water fluoridation programs changed substantially depending on the types, order of presentation, and amount of information provided. Similarly, polling methods and respondent characteristics were found to affect survey results. A high proportion of respondents showed their strong willingness to participate in decision-making.

Objectives : The aim of the study is to investigate the awareness towards water fluoridation program in the residents of Yongin. Methods : Subjects were 1,016 adults over 19 years old living in Yongin for more than one year. A self-administered survey was done by structured questionnaires. Some of the questionnaires were filled out through direct phone call. Results : Positive awareness of water fluoridation program accounted for 36.5 percent and 61.0 percent of the residents agreed to the program. Only nine percent 9.0 percent opposed to water fluoridation. Conclusions : Yongin City Government is trying to make the residents understand the water fluoridation. Positive public opinion towards the water fluoridation can lead to the implementation of the water fluoridation. So it is necessary to provide information of water fluoridation program to the residents.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of water fluoridation program(WFP) on dental caries prevention in Ulsan, Korea. Methods: The data of control group were extracted from 2012 Korean National Oral Health Survey(KNOHS). Since 1998, WFP was implemented in Ulsan. The subjects were 670 subjects including 10 to 12-years old children in 2009. The control subjects were 4,871 people in non-fluoridated metropolitan cities comparable to Ulsan. The control subjects were selected from 2012 KNOHS. A self-reported questionnaire was completed by the variables including oral health behaviors on daily frequency of toothbrushing, eating snacks and beverages. Oral health examination was carried out by two dentists who received a training in KNOHS with an inter-examiner-agreement. Caries preventive fraction was calculated by the difference of DMFT and DMFS index. The preventive effects of the WFP program were focused on gender, number of fissure sealed teeth, daily frequency of toothbrushing, eating snacks and beverages. Data were analyzed using SPSS $19.0^{(R)}$(SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) statistical package. Results: DMFT indices of 12-year-old subjects(n=670) in WFP and control population(n=4,871) were 2.11 and 1.23, respectively with an estimated prevention effect of 41.7%. Conclusions: WFP in Ulsan reduced the prevalence of dental caries. WFP should be recommended for the public oral health program in other metropolitan cities.

Objectives: The water fluoridation program has been implemented since 2008 at the Daesan water treatment plant, Changwon City. The aim of this study is to evaluate caries preventive effect of permanent teeth from community water fluoridation program Methods: Evaluation surveys were conducted on 8-, 10- and 12-year olds in the fluoridated and non-fluoridated area of Uichang-gu and Seongsan-gu, Changwon City in 2015. The number of the subjects in 2015 was 722 in fluoridated area and 707 in non-fluoridated area. The caries preventive effect of permanent teeth by community water fluoridation was estimated by the differences in adjusted DMFT and DMFS scores between the program and control groups. Cofounders of mean number of fissure-sealed teeth or surfaces, and number of subjects by gender were adjusted to estimate the caries preventive effect of permanent teeth. Results: The mean DMFT score or DMFS score of children aged 8-, 10- and 12-years adjusted for the number of fissure-sealed teeth or surfaces in fluoridated area were significantly lower than those in non-fluoridated area in 2015. The caries preventive effect of permanent teeth estimated based on the difference of mean DMFT scores adjusted for fissure-sealed teeth, age and number of subjects by gender between control and program group among children was 37.3%. Conclusions: These results suggest that the caries preventive effect of permanent teeth from water fluoridation program at Daesan water treatment plant, Changwon City was so high that the water fluoridation program should be developed in other regions in Korea.

이 연구는 수돗물불소농도조정사업 실시라는 지역보건정책 결정과정에서 지역주민들의 참여가 어떠한 형식이나 빈도로 이루어졌는지, 이러한 주민참여에 대한 지방정부나 의회의 반응은 어떠하였는지에 관해 43개 정수장의 사례를 통해 분석하고 있다. 연구결과, 첫째 지방자치제 도입 이후 지역보건정책 결정에 있어서 지역시민단체나 주민의 참여욕구가 증가하고 있으며, 이것은 지방정부나 지방의회로 하여금 주민여론에 민감하게 반응하도록 만들었다. 둘째, 지방자치제의 도입은 지역정책결정에 있어서 주민참여의 기회를 명시적으로 확장시켰으나, 참여기회나 참여형태가 매우 제한적이고 수동적인 접근에 머물고 있었다. 셋째, 정책결정의 주도적 주체가 누가 되었던 간에 수돗물불소농도조정사업 시행 또는 중단 결정과정에서 주로 활용되고 있는 주민참여 모델은 여론조사나 공청회, 또는 토론회 등과 같이 1~2가지의 제한적인 모델의 활용에 불과하였다. 넷째, 지방정부가 지역정책을 결정하는 데 있어서, 지역주민 여론수렴을 일회적으로 실시하여 그 결과에 의존하는 경향이 강한 것으로 나타났다.

We studied the role of citizen participation as to regional public health policies through a case study of the water fluoridation program in Korea. We found that first, since the introduction of local governance system, the desire for participation of local citizen groups and residents in local health policy decision making was significantly heightened. Second, while it seems that the introduction of local governance system has expanded the opportunities of citizen participation in local policy decision-making, in reality, the expansion seems to remain at a superficial level. Third, regardless of who the leading entity of policy decision making was, both in implementation decisions or suspension decision, a limited number of forms of citizen participation, such as opinion surveys, public hearings, or open forums were used. Fourth, we found that even in cases where public opinion surveys were conducted and their results were reflected in the final decision making, the survey was mostly conducted only on a one-time basis.