Facilities In South Korea Research Articles

Fragility Assessment of Vinyl Greenhouses and Livestock Sheds Subjected to Volcanic Ash Fall Hazards

In this study, fragility functions are developed to estimate expected volcanic ash damage to vinyl greenhouses and livestock sheds among common agricultural facilities in South Korea. The fragility functions are derived through the FOSM (first-order second-moment) analytical approach based on the thickness distribution of volcanic ash observed in the 1980 eruption of Mt. Saint Helens in the USA and on agricultural facility codes and specifications in South Korea. In this study, the volcanic ash fragility functions evaluated represent the conditional probability of failure of vinyl greenhouses and livestock sheds over the full range of volcanic ash loads. For the evaluation, 4 types (i.e., automated, single span, tree crop, and double span types) of multi-hazard resisting vinyl greenhouses and 3 types (i.e., standard, coastal, and mountain types) of livestock sheds conventionally utilized in South Korea are considered. All volcanic ash fragility functions estimated in this study are fitted using parameters of the lognormal CDF (cumulative distribution function), and the obtained parameters are compiled into a database for use in the future. The volcanic ash fragility functions developed in this study are intended to be used to evaluate potential risks and losses from volcanic eruptions around the Korean Peninsula.

정부신뢰가 위험인식과 정책 수용성에 미치는 영향 : 한국의 원자력발전소 사례를 중심으로

정부신뢰가 위험인식과 정책 수용성에 미치는 영향 : 한국의 원자력발전소 사례를 중심으로

Barriers to ethical nursing practice for older adults in long-term care facilities.

To explore barriers to ethical nursing practice for older adults in long-term care facilities from the perspectives of nurses in South Korea. The number of older adults admitted to long-term care facilities is increasing rapidly in South Korea. To provide this population with quality care, a solid moral foundation should be emphasised to ensure the provision of ethical nursing practices. Barriers to implementing an ethical nursing practice for older adults in long-term care facilities have not been fully explored in previous literature. A qualitative, descriptive design was used to explore barriers to ethical nursing practice as perceived by registered nurses in long-term care facilities in South Korea. Individual interviews were conducted with 17 registered nurses recruited using purposive (snowball) sampling who care for older adults in long-term care facilities in South Korea. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Five main themes emerged from the data analysis concerning barriers to the ethical nursing practice of long-term care facilities: emotional distress, treatments restricting freedom of physical activities, difficulty coping with emergencies, difficulty communicating with the older adult patients and friction between nurses and nursing assistants. This study has identified methods that could be used to improve ethical nursing practices for older adults in long-term care facilities. Because it is difficult to improve the quality of care through education and staffing alone, other factors may also require attention. Support programmes and educational opportunities are needed for nurses who experience emotional distress and lack of competency to strengthen their resilience towards some of the negative aspects of care and being a nurse that were identified in this study.

Broken Buddhas and Burning Temples: A Re-examination of Anti-Buddhist Violence and Harassment in South Korea

From 1982 through 2016, Korean media outlets have reported over 120 instances of vandalism, arson and harassment targeting Buddhist temples and facilities in South Korea. An extension of on-going tensions between South Korea’s Buddhist and Evangelical Protestant communities, this one-sided wave of violence and harassment has caused the destruction of numerous temple buildings and priceless historical artifacts, millions of USD in damages, and one death. This article surveys these incidents of anti-Buddhist vandalism, arson, and harassment, analyzing their general characteristics and summarizing major instances of each, before examining the frequency of these incidents within the wider chronology of recent Evangelical-Buddhist tensions. It then examines the responses from South Korea’s Buddhist and Evangelical communities and various government agencies, as well as the effects of these responses, before investigating the relationship between these incidents and the mainstream Evangelical doctrines of religious exclusivism, dominionism and spiritual warfare. The article closes with a discussion of the need for further research into these incidents and the wider Evangelical-Buddhist tensions surveyed herein as well as the relevance of such research to inter-religious conflicts outside Korea.

Nurses' Views on Infection Control in Long-Term Care Facilities in South Korea: A Focus Group Study

Nurses' Views on Infection Control in Long-Term Care Facilities in South Korea: A Focus Group Study

Molecular Epidemiology of Norovirus in Asymptomatic Food Handlers in South Korea

Norovirus (NoV) is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in all age groups worldwide. In this study, prevalence of asymptomatic norovirus infection was investigated in food handler being employed at food catering facilities in South Korea. A total of 2,729 fecal specimens from asymptomatic food handlers were analyzed, and 1.06% of food handlers (29/2,729) had asymptomatic NoV infection. Of these, 17.2% (5/29) were positive for NoV GI and 82.7% (24/29) were positive for NoV GII. Especially, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed that GII-4 was the most prevalent genotype and a large number of asymptomatic food handlers were infested with norovirus GII-4 strains. The results of this study show that asymptomatic food handlers may be potential transmission sources for NoV infection. These results emphasize the need for training of food catering employees about norovirus prevention. Asymptomatic norovirus infection should receive more attention.

Analysis of Precedents Related to Elderly Abuse in Elderly Care Facilities in South Korea : Focused on precedents after enforcement of the Act on Long-Term Care Insurance for the Aged

Analysis of Precedents Related to Elderly Abuse in Elderly Care Facilities in South Korea : Focused on precedents after enforcement of the Act on Long-Term Care Insurance for the Aged

The effect of risk communication on the acceptance of policies for high-risk facilities in South Korea: with particular focus on the mediating effects of risk perception

Continuous technological development has resulted in a new type of risk to human lives: what is now regarded as “socially created risk.” Ideas on risk have increasingly focused on subjective, rather than objective, risk. This shift is clearly observable in the case of location policies for nuclear energy facilities. The South Korean public is often suspicious of new energy facilities; for example, in the case of nuclear power, they are suspicious of the risk of involuntary exposure to dangerous radiation, which cannot be effectively controlled. Therefore, the South Korean government is continuously discussing how to increase the acceptance of such high-risk facilities by managing the public’s risk perceptions. The research question was as follows: “Does the Korean government’s risk communication strategy have a positive impact on the public’s risk perceptions and acceptance of policies?” This study analyzed whether communicating risks helps boost public acceptance of high-risk facilities. A structural equation model and multiple group analyses were used for empirical analysis. The study explores government perspectives in terms of insecurity and conflict caused by scientific advancements, and uncertain public perceptions of high-risk facilities such as nuclear power plants. It provides empirical results regarding risk communication and implications for public policy that decrease risk perception and increase the acceptance of such policies. Points for practitioners This study analyzes whether risk communication can solve the problem of low public acceptance of high-risk facilities, based on their risk perception. As a result, this study contributes to policy implications regarding risk communication as a way to control risk perception and increase policy acceptance. In particular, it is critical to develop strategies for risk communication in which the public shares the decision-making process with governmental bodies and energy providers.

Analyzing public preference and willingness to pay for spent nuclear fuel facilities in South Korea: A latent class approach

Spent nuclear fuel tends to emit superheat and high levels of radiation, posing a serious threat to human beings and the natural environment, and, thus, warrants special treatments. However, most countries generating nuclear power are yet to achieve a public consensus on the construction and operation of spent nuclear fuel facilities. In this study, we quantitatively analyzed the heterogeneous preferences of the South Korean public regarding spent nuclear fuel facilities and estimated the public's marginal willingness to pay using a choice experiment survey and a latent class model. Then, using the estimation results, we simulated the rate of public acceptance with respect to the construction and operation of such facilities. The results revealed that public preference regarding spent nuclear fuel facilities is divided by two classes on the basis of two heterogeneous preference structures. In addition, we found that the majority of the public was expected to prefer a permanent repository, followed by temporary storages, and an interim storage. Finally, we also confirmed the validity of management options for spent nuclear fuel using a cost-benefit analysis and we concluded that the construction and operation of an interim storage or a permanent repository facility is not economically viable at this time.

Extreme Wind Fragility Assessment for Window System Failure in Lightweight Steel Frame Structure in Korea

In this research, we concentrate on defining the initial step in the framework of probability risk assessment of wind loads by developing wind fragility on small-scale residential facilities in South Korea, i.e., the window system installed in a lightweight steel frame house. The study was to develop a fragility model using random variables according to the wind loads parameters and the resistance capacity of the window system. Design- and material-based experimental results in typical residential facilities in South Korea provided capacity parameters, i.e., resistance capacity of the window system, which allow us to obtain the failure probability of the window system under various limit conditions and consequently be used to evaluate the vulnerability of windows in this small residential steel house. The study has successfully proved that the most vulnerable are the leeward windows, i.e., opposite to the wind direction. Usage of this methodology could lead to a more predictable structure performance and facilitate the introduction of performance-based design guidelines for this component of building. Fragilities such as those presented here also can be convolved with wind hazard curves to develop a risk assessment tool, which can evaluate the potential impact of a natural hazard in public planning and mitigate the consequent economic losses and social disruption.

An exploratory examination of risk-management practices in South Korean community sport clubs

AbstractClub sport participation in South Korea is increasing at an unprecedented pace. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the risk-management policies and practices of sport clubs in South Korea. Specifically, this study investigated a broad spectrum of issues including the number of injury-related lawsuits, risk-management polices/practices, and legal implications in sport clubs. This study was conducted using a self-developed 36-item questionnaire that was distributed by five trained survey couriers who obtained completed surveys from 304 sport club managers by visiting various sport/recreation facilities in South Korea. Overall, the results of this study revealed that risk-management policies and practices of sport clubs were not conducted in a consistent manner although most managers experienced or observed a significant number of sport-club-related injuries. The vast majority of injuries, however, did not result in lawsuits.

Distribution of radon concentrations in child-care facilities in South Korea

This study was conducted to provide fundamental data on the distribution of radon concentrations in child day-care facilities in South Korea and to help establish radon mitigation strategies. For this study, 230 child-care centers were randomly chosen from all child-care centers nationwide, and alpha track detectors were used to examine cumulative radon exposure concentrations from January to May 2015. The mean radon concentration measured in Korean child-care centers is approximately 52 Bq m−3, about one-third of the upper limit of 148 Bq m−3, which is recommended by South Korea's Indoor Air Quality Control in Public Use Facilities, etc. Act and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Furthermore, this concentration is about 50% lower than 102 Bq m−3, which is the measured concentration of radon in houses nationwide from December 2013 to February 2014. Our results indicate that the amount of ventilation, as a major determining factor for indoor radon concentrations, is strongly correlated with the fluctuation of indoor radon concentrations in Korean child-care centers.

Psychometric testing of Korean versions of self-efficacy and outcome expectations for restorative care activities scales

This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of Korean versions of the Nursing Assistant Self-Efficacy for Restorative Care Scale, and the Nursing Assistant Outcome Expectations for Restorative Care Scale. Psychometric testing was performed with 697 direct care workers in long-term care facilities in South Korea. Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 21.0, AMOS 22.0, and WINSTEPS 3.68.2. There was evidence for content validity. Factor loading in the Korean versions of the Nursing Assistant Self-Efficacy for Restorative Care Scale was 0.66–0.94, and Nursing Assistant Outcome Expectations for Restorative Care Scale was 0.43–0.77. Scores on the Korean versions of the Nursing Assistant Outcome Expectations for Restorative Care Scale correlated positively with scores on a scale of knowledge of restorative care. Additionally, Rasch model analysis of the K-NASERC and K-NAOERC indicates acceptable item data fit. These results indicated that the Korean versions of the Nursing Assistant Self-Efficacy, and Outcome Expectations for Restorative Care Scale are satisfactorily valid and reliable for the measurement.

Testing the validity and reliability of an instrument to measure nurses' antipathy towards patients who self-harm: Korean version of the Self-Harm Antipathy Scale.

To investigate the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Self-Harm Antipathy Scale (SHAS-K) to be used to measure nurses' antipathy towards patients who self-harm. The internal consistency reliability and construct validity, using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, was evaluated.The survey data were collected from 249 nurses who worked in emergency care facilities in South Korea. The Cronbach's α values regarding internal consistency were 0.54-0.88 for the subscales of the SHAS-K. The factor loadings of the 26 items on the four subscales ranged from 0.44 to 0.86. The four-subscale model was validated by a confirmatory factor analysis. This study shows that the SHAS-K should be used with caution when measuring nurses' antipathy towards patients in Korea who self-harm.

Social Work Perspective: Comparing Korean Social Workers' Education and Knowledge of Advance Directives

This study aimed to analyze the differences in the status of social workers’ education and knowledge level of advance directives between geriatric hospitals and long-term care facilities in South Korea. The study employed a quantitative research model of collecting data from 401 social workers with a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and an independent T-test, using the SPSS 21.0 program. It showed significant differences in medical knowledge of advance directives between those who work at geriatric hospitals and at long-term care facilities (2.20±0.87, 2.26±0.91, respectively; p<0.05). Knowledge level about artificial feeding tubes and hemodialysis was significantly lower among those at geriatric hospitals than those at long-term care facilities. The level of knowledge about medical and general areas of advance directives significantly differed based on their educational level in both geriatric hospitals and long-term care facilities. This study proposes the importance of the social workers’ knowledge level in assisting elderly patients and their family members in long-term care settings, suggesting the importance of developing educational programs and licensing regulations prior to enforcing of the Act on Decision over Hospice and Palliative care and Life-prolonging Care for Dying Patients.

The Effects of South Korean Social Workers' Professional Resources on their Understanding of a Patient's Right to End‐of‐Life Care Decisions in Long‐term Care Facilities

The aims of this study were to examine South Korean social workers' understanding of a patient's right to end‐of‐life care decisions (EOLCD) in long‐term care facilities and to explore the effectiveness of their professional resources in their understanding of this issue. A survey was conducted of 297 social workers from multiple long‐term care facilities in South Korea using structured questionnaires and face‐to‐face interviews. A multiple regression model was used, controlling for gender and religion. The participants' professional resources were measured by years of work, license type, number of beds, knowledge of advanced directives, experience in the EOLCD process, and training. The results demonstrated that South Korean social workers' understanding of a patient's right to EOLCD was moderate (mean 3.46), and their general (β = 0.576, P &lt; 0.001) and medical knowledge (β = 0.117, P &lt; 0.001) of advance directives, experience in the EOLCD process (β = 0.222, P &lt; 0.001), and training (β = 0.028, P &lt; 0.001) positively and significantly increased their understanding of patient rights (R2 = 0.449, P &lt; 0.001). The findings suggested that the development of academically supported and legally enforced standards and regulations for an EOLCD practice manual for long‐term‐care social workers would be beneficial.

일본의 지역친화형 노인복지시설 사례를 통해서 본 노인요양공동생활가정의 계획 방향

The purpose of this research is to explore the best examples from Japan to derive spatial and institutional characteristics. This study used the field survey method for 6 elderly welfare facilities in Japan. The characteristics of local friendly facility are as follows; First of all, since elderly care facilities in South Korea are separated from local community and facility plans are large-scaled and unified which are disconnected from local area, this research set aging in community, multi-function, diversity, and intergeneration into the concept that is necessary for local friendly facilities. Secondly, residential environment plan's basic directions are 1) plan that minimizes facilities-like atmosphere, 2) spatial plan that focuses on the elderly dignity and privacy, 3) comfortable and enjoyable communal living space plan, 4) local friendly and communicating plan, 5)plan that minimizes staff's care giving burden. Thirdly, the rooms necessary for local friendly facility model are composed of bedroom, dining room, kitchen, living room, garden, toilet, laundry room, bathroom, corridor, and office based on the legal installation standards.

Characterization of Odorant Compounds from Mechanical Aerated Pile Composting and Static Aerated Pile Composting.

We studied airborne contaminants (airborne particulates and odorous compounds) emitted from compost facilities in South Korea. There are primarily two different types of composting systems operating in Korean farms, namely mechanical aerated pile composting (MAPC) and aerated static pile composting (SAPC). In this study, we analyzed various particulate matters (PM10, PM7, PM2.5, PM1, and total suspended particles), volatile organic compounds and ammonia, and correlated these airborne contaminants with microclimatic parameters, i.e., temperature and relative humidity. Most of the analyzed airborne particulates (PM7, PM2.5, and PM1) were detected in high concentration at SAPC facilities compered to MAPC; however these differences were statistically non-significant. Similarly, most of the odorants did not vary significantly between MAPC and SAPC facilities, except for dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and skatole. DMS concentrations were significantly higher in MAPC facilities, whereas skatole concentrations were significantly higher in SAPC facilities. The microclimate variables also did not vary significantly between MAPC and SAPC facilities, and did not correlate significantly with most of the airborne particles and odorous compounds, suggesting that microclimate variables did not influence their emission from compost facilities. These findings provide insight into the airborne contaminants that are emitted from compost facilities and the two different types of composting agitation systems.

Potential methane yield of food waste/food waste leachate from the biogasification facilities in South Korea

This study was to find out potential of methane yield on food waste and food waste leachate as biomass in Korea. The seven biogasification facilities were selected for comparison of theoretical methane yield and actual methane yield. The theoretical methane yield was calculated based on organic constituents (carbohydrate, protein, fat) and based on element analysis. The actual methane yield was investigated based on volatile solids and CODcr. Theoretical methane yields by organic constituents were 0.52 Sm3CH4/kg VS and 0.35 Sm3CH4/kg CODcr and these by element analysis were 0.53 Sm3CH4/kg VS and 0.36 Sm3CH4/kg CODcr. Actual methane yields were 0.36 Sm3CH4/kg VSin and 0.26 Sm3CH4/kg CODcrin. Considering the average removal efficiency of organic materials of seven FWL biogasification facilities, actual methane yields were 0.48 Sm3CH4/kg VSrem and 0.33 Sm3CH4/kg CODcrrem. Methane yield by organic constituents is very similar to that by element analysis and actual methane yields of volatile solids and CODcr were similar to theoretical value. The actual methane yield in this study showed approximated boundary values with previous other references which conducted in lab-scale or biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests. In conclusion, Korean food waste and food waste leachate have sufficient potential of methane yield in the ongoing biogasification facilities.

Evidence-Based Practice and Job Satisfaction of Nurses in Long-Term Care

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between evidence-based practice (EBP) and job satisfaction among nurses working in long-term care facilities. Methods: The study used a descriptive cross-sectional design. A total of 146 nurses working in 6 long-term care facilities in South Korea self-reported their perception of EBP implementation, barriers to research utilization, and job satisfaction. Results: The level of job satisfaction was higher in nurses who were single, older, more experienced, and had a higher income. Lower perceived barriers to research utilization were associated with greater job satisfaction. However, there was no significant relationship between a level of EBP implementation and job satisfaction. Factors influencing job satisfaction included lower barriers to the organization and communication domains of research utilization, being unmarried and older. Conclusion: Decreasing barriers to research utilization may improve the job satisfaction of nurses working in long-term care facilities.