TOP
Most countries have implemented restrictions on mobility to prevent the spread of Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), entailing considerable societal costs but, at least initially, based on limited evidence of effectiveness. We asked whether mobility restrictions were associated with changes in the occurrence of COVID-19 in 34 OECD countries plus Singapore and Taiwan. Our data sources were the Google Global Mobility Data Source, which reports different types of mobility, and COVID-19 cases retrieved from the dataset curated by Our World in Data. Beginning at each country’s 100th case, and incorporating a 14-day lag to account for the delay between exposure and illness, we examined the association between changes in mobility (with January 3 to February 6, 2020 as baseline) and the ratio of the number of newly confirmed cases on a given day to the total number of cases over the past 14 days from the index day (the potentially infective ‘pool’ in that population), per million population, using LOESS regression and logit regression. In two-thirds of examined countries, reductions of up to 40% in commuting mobility (to workplaces, transit stations, retailers, and recreation) were associated with decreased cases, especially early in the pandemic. Once both mobility and incidence had been brought down, further restrictions provided little additional benefit. These findings point to the importance of acting early and decisively in a pandemic.
This study identified whether there is a difference in the practice of personal hygiene prevention and social distance between Korean and Nepalese university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also identified the influencing factors under each country’s response policy. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey. Chi-square test, t-test, F-test and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: This study shows that “washing hands after sneezing” as a practice for personal hygiene prevention was better observed by Nepalese students (76.0%) than Korean students (59.5%) (p<.001). “Wearing a Mask” was better observed by Korean (94.8%) than Nepalese (60.5%) (p<.001) students. Among the practices in social distancing, Nepalese students have better compliance with “refrain from using public transportation”, “refrain from using elevator”, and “one-row seating” than Korean students (p<.001). The “restraint of meeting with more than 10 people”, was kept better by Nepalese (88.7%) than Korean students (78.9%) (p=.015). According to a logistic regression analysis, Korean students complied with the practice of personal hygiene prevention 1.61 times better than Nepalese students, who followed the practice of social distance 12.13 times better than the Korean students. As a result, preventive activities, including both personal hygiene prevention and social distancing practice, showed that Nepalese university students were 4.78 times better at complying than Korean university students. Conclusion: It can be seen that each country's response policies are factors that have the greatest impact on the practices of personal hygiene prevention and social
distancing. Thus, new guidelines regarding personal hygiene prevention should be announced to ensure that people comply well together
Objectives
To analyze the relationship between traffic inflow and COVID-19 prevalence in South Korea for formulating prevention policies for novel infections.
Methods
We evaluated traffic inflow and new COVID-19 cases in 8 regions of Korea from January 1, 2020, to January 31, 2021. The toll collection system (TCS) traffic volume for 2019?2020 and traffic inflow trends were analyzed using independent samples t-test and nonlinear regression, respectively. The association between TCS traffic volume and new COVID-19 cases by city was analyzed using correlation analysis.
Results
Traffic inflow volume in 2020 decreased 3.7% from 2019. The TCS traffic inflow trend in the 8 provinces decreased during the first COVID-19 wave, gradually increased until the second wave, decreased after the second wave, and showed a sharp decrease in the third wave. There was a positive correlation between the traffic inflow volume and new cases in Busan-Gyeongnam and Jeonbuk, but not in Daegu-Gyeongbuk or Gangwon.
Conclusions
A decrease in new COVID-19 cases in the regions was associated with increased traffic inflow volume. Therefore, the Korean government can establish preventive social distancing policies by identifying increases or decreases in traffic volume. These policies will also need to consider the distribution of vaccines in each area.
연구의 목적: 본 연구에서는 영국 사회적 처방의 도입 배경과 운영 방식등을 조사하여 사회적 처방의 효과를 확인하고 한국에의 도입 타당성을 확인하는데 있다.
연구 방법: 본 연구는 사회적 처방과 관련된 2차 자료를 수집하여 분석하고, 2020도 6월부터 9월 까지 영국 킹스턴 지역 사회적 처방 기관을 연구자가 방문하여 관찰한 내용 정리 및 발표된 문헌 및 논문의 내용을 분석(content analysis)하는 방법을 사용하였다.
연구 결과: 영국 정부와 보건부는 사회적 처방제도를 도입한 이후 활발한 지원을 하고 있으며, 특히 만성질환자나 정신 건강 문제를 갖고 있는 자, 고독감 및 복잡한 사회적 상황 등으로 인해 정서적 고통을 호소하는 사람들을 주요 대상으로 삼고 있다. 사회적 처방은 영국 정부 산하의 국가보건서비스(NHS)를 중심으로 각 지방정부가 자체적으로 링크 워커(Link worker)를 활용하고 있으며, Kingston 지역에서는 2019년 7월 1일 사회적 처방을 위한 1차 진료 네트워크가 시작되었으며, 현재 5 개의 PCN(Primary Care Network)이 설치되어 운영 중에 있다.
결론: 킹스턴 지역의 사회적 처방은 지역 전체를 포괄하는 1차 의료 접근 방식을 취하고 있으며, 주민들이 행복하고 건강하며 궁극적으로는 삶의 질을 향상시킬 수 있도록 지원하고 있다. 본 연구 결과를 볼 때에 한국의 지역사회에도 영국의 사회적 처방 제도의 도입이 보건문제 해결에 도움이 될 수 있음을 시사한다.
Introduction: Japan’s health policies to address the most advanced-aged society have been the target of focus in Asia, but no studies have investigated this issue using tools for cross-country comparisons.
Theory and methods: A cross-country study design was used to compare healthcare reform policies with a framework in Japan, Korea, Thailand, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Data were collected via document reviews and key informant interviews.
Results: Three distinctions were identified. First, all countries except for the Philippines have policy decisions regarding reforms for the existing service delivery systems for healthcare, long-term care and welfare. Second, the most extensive service delivery reform is currently being implemented in Japan, whose system is shifting to primary health care. Third, the direction of the transformation of service delivery system is different between Thailand and China despite a similar level of ageing society. China has made progress on facility-based care integration between health and social care, whereas Thailand is focusing on home-based care.
Conclusions and discussion: Doctor and hospital-based healthcare delivery system requires more drastic reform for an aged society. This fact implies that strengthening primary health care is not only useful for current health issues but also an investment for the aged society near future in low- and middle-income countries.
To investigate the knowledge, preventive practices, and depression of Chinese university students living in South Korea and Mainland China during the COVID-19 outbreak and explore the determinants of depression among these students, an online cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted from 23 March to 12 April 2020. The online questionnaire included questions on knowledge and preventive practices related to COVID-19, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to diagnose depressive symptoms. A total of 420 Chinese university students were finally included in the study (171 students from South Korea and 249 students from Mainland China). The majority of these students had a good level of knowledge of COVID-19. Students living in South Korea displayed better preventive practices than those living in Mainland China; however, the proportion of students (28.7%) with moderate-to-severe depression in this group was relatively higher than that (18.9%) of the Mainland Group (χ2 = 5.50, p < 0.05). More severe depression was related to high levels of concern about family members and contracting COVID-19 as well as suspecting themselves of having come into contact with patients. Displaying more preventive behaviors decreased the depressive symptoms in both groups. These data could be used as a reference for further studies in different regions to take measures (e.g., psychological counseling and encouragement for physical activities) to reduce depressive symptoms in university students.
The Plan Nacional de Desarrollo Paraguay 2030 states “coverage must be secured in public sectors for [the] development of the country,” and efforts are currently being made to increase health coverage. However, there has been a limited number of studies on the accessibility and use of medical care by local residents in Paraguay. This study aimed to identify factors that affect the experience of unmet health care needs in adults residing in rural area, Paraguay, Community Health Survey of Limpio city. Results revealed that participants residing in rural areas had higher unmet healthcare needs than those in urban areas. It was also found that those in the higher income quartile had fewer unmet healthcare needs than those in the lower income quartile. Those with chronic diseases and no healthcare insurance were more likely to experience unmet healthcare needs than those without chronic diseases and those with health insurance, respectively. We concluded that regional features can create gaps in the use of healthcare services. Therefore public health centers should be located in areas accessible. And according to the results, the quality of healthcare services is an important factor in the selection. Thus, the function of public health centers should be improved, and healthcare human resources and infrastructure of facilities should be systematically reinforced.
Aim
This study aimed to investigate the correlations between depression, social support and social participation among older adults in farming villages and identify their associations with the use of senior leisure and welfare facilities, called kyungro?dang, so as to provide foundational data for promoting community care in rural farming communities.
Design
A cross?sectional design was used to identify kyungro?dang use among the 156 participants?older adults aged 65.
Methods
Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation analysis, factor analysis and structural equation modelling.
Results
Older adults with high social support and social participation tended to use kyungro?dang less. Our findings contribute foundational data to promote community care through kyungro?dang. Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHW) plans to enforce to “Comprehensive community care plan” through kyungro?dang in rural area. The result of this study shows the relation between Kyungro?dang and social support, social participation, depression. This study recommends that MoHW in Korea focuses on enhance social support and social participation to gather before policy implications.
연구 배경: 2020년 전 세계는 COVID-19의 만연으로 어려움을 겪고 있다. 각 나라들은 COVID-19 확산을 막고자 최선을 다하고 있으나, 그 결과는 국가의 자원과 역량에 따라 다르게 나타나고 있다. 세계 여러 나라 중 부탄, 쿠바, 뉴질랜드는 COVID-19 확산을 성공적으로 대처한 나라로 언급되고 있다.
연구 목적: 본 연구는 COVID-19과 같은 전염병 발생 시 이를 예방하고 효과적으로 관리하기 위해 COVID-19 방역을 성공적으로 시행한 쿠바, 부탄, 뉴질랜드의 방역 활동과 특성들을 확인하고자 한다.
연구 방법: Google과 Google Scholar 검색 엔진 및 부탄, 쿠바 및 뉴질랜드의 보건부, 외교부 등 공공기관 홈페이지, 온라인 뉴스, SNS(Facebook, Twitter, Instagram 등)를 이용하여 학술 논문, 각 국가 COVID-19 정책 보고서, 뉴스, 신문 기사 등을 수집하여 분석함. 자료 수집 기간은 8월 1일부터 9월 5일(36일)이었다.
연구 결과: 부탄, 쿠바, 뉴질랜드 모두 COVID-19 초기 단계에 강도 높은 방역 조치 실시하였는데, 세 나라 모두 COVID-19 확진자의 수가 100건을 넘기기 전에 취해졌다. 세 국가는 공통적으로 3월초 국경을 폐쇄 하여 외국인의 출입국을 제한하였으며, 내국인 입국자에 대해서는 COVID-19 검사 시행 및 14일 격리를 실시하였다. 또한, 집회 및 모임을 전면 금지, 학교 및 교육기관의 잠정 휴교, 운송 및 대중교통 운영 중단, 이동 제한을 실시하였다. 이와 함께, 각 국은 COVID-19 대응팀을 구성하여 지역 사회를 직접 방문하여 COVID-19 조기 감별 시행하고, 무상 COVID-19 검사 및 치료 서비스를 제공하였다. 또한, 시민을 대상으로 지속적인 COVID-19 관련 정보 제공 및 교육 활동을 시행하였다. 이러한 정부의 방역 활동에 대해 시민들은 깊은 신뢰를 보였으며, 적극적으로 따르는 모습을 보였다.
결론: 세 나라의 선제적이며 적극적 제한 조치는 COVID-19의 성공적 방역에 가장 중요한 요인이었으며, 보편적 의료보장 제도는 환자 발견과 치료를 하는데 가장 큰 강점 중 하나였다. 이와 함께, 세 나라 정부가 시행한 시민 대상 교육 및 COVID-19 정보 공유는 시민들의 불안을 감소시키고, 방역 정책에 적극적 참여를 유도하였다. 우리나라 또한 감염병 예방과 관리를 위해 적극적이며 선제적 방역 조치를 시행하고, 시민들의 불안을 감소시키고 방역 활동에 참여를 높이기 위한 시민 대상 홍보활동과 정보공유를 늘리는 것이 필요하다 하겠다. 또한, 취약계층을 비롯한 시민들의 보건의료 서비스의 접근을 높이기 위한 다양한 방안을 수립해야 하겠다.