KOREA UNIVERSITY School of Health Policy and Management

Epidemiology Lab

Introduction

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations and the planning, execution and assessment of strategies for application of this study to promote health. Since its founding in March 2013, the Epidemiology Lab has been conducting research in two categories: occupational epidemiology in the context of workers and workplaces and social epidemiology focusing on how social factors affect individuals’ health.

Main Research Areas

As of April 2015, the Lab conducts research in two main fields.
First, occupational epidemiology studies the effects of workplace environments on states of laborers’ health, which includes factors such as irregular employment, job insecurity and layoffs, workplace discrimination, work-life imbalance, emotional labor, and social support. The Lab’s current research projects cover Dasan Call Center agents, hospital interns and residents, Hyundai Motor sales representatives, and workers laid off by Ssangyong Motor.
Second, social epidemiology studies the impact of social minorities’ social experiences on their states of health. These experiences include discrimination against those who are from immigrant or multicultural families or are sexual minorities (LGBTQI), discrimination against juveniles on the grounds of physical appearance, and school bullying.
Prof. Kim Seung-Sup currently leads two government funded research projects: one is “A survey on the human rights of firefighters” funded by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, and the other is “The effects of irregular employment on workers’ health and presenteeism: Systematic literature review and epidemiology study” with the 2015 New Faculty Grant from the National Research Foundation.

Digital Dental Industry Lab

Introduction

With an aim to foster future talents, the Digital Dental Industry Lab identifies trends in innovation and technological developments in convergence with digital technologies in the dental industry and analyzes related data. In this vein, the Lab’s work is underpinned by cutting edge digital equipment used for the physical and chemical assessment of dental devices, new R&D materials or prostheses applicable to the human body, and the process of their development. In addition, we provide multi-dimensional analysis of big data related to the digital dental industry through closely reviewing changes in the environment for new equipment and health industry policies and their effects. Based on our findings, the Lab utilizes research data to help researchers publish articles in globally renowned or registered journals, thereby fostering future-oriented Ph.D. candidates who are capable of offering useful data that can contribute to health policies.

Main Research Areas

Digital dental industry and health sociology

1. Digital evaluation of dental restorations
   Fitness evaluation
   Aesthetic evaluation
   Finite element analysis
   Nano and image analysis
2. Evaluation of dental materials and equipment
   Physical and chemical features of materials
   Accuracy and safety of equipment
   Clinical assessment
3. Epidemiological evaluation and observational study
   Statistics analysis
   Survey analysis

Dental CAD/CAM Evaluation Lab

Introduction

The Dental CAD/CAM Evaluation Lab appraises prostheses produced with advanced technologies and materials, thus creating innovative technological paradigms based on the findings. Specific research areas include dental CAD/CAM, quality assessment of dental CAD/CAM work, standard development and evaluation of dental CAD/CAM work, development and improvement of scanners, CAD and CAM program technologies, and assessment of dental equipment. Based on such studies, we are leading world-class technological innovations across the dental industry.

Main Research Areas

1. Fitness evaluation: The Lab is using silicone replica techniques for analyzing 3-D data to assess the internal and marginal fitness of dental restorations, publishing the findings in globally renowned journals.
2. Aesthetic evaluation: The Lab employs a spectrophotometer to precisely assess the color of dental restorations. Based on the findings, the Lab has published several articles in international journals and has been acknowledged for its professional accomplishments in measurement technology.
3. Materials evaluation: The Lab assesses the physical, chemical and biological features of materials that can be used in dental restorations.
4. Durability evaluation: The Lab possesses an autoclave, which can recreate the oral environment. This equipment allows us to test and analyze biocompatibility and accelerated low-temperature heat deterioration in tandem with dental materials aging.
5. Mechanical evaluation: Due to its usage of Instron, the Lab reliably measures and assesses the dual-axis curve and tensile strength of dental materials and the sheer bond strength of dual-structured dental restorations. In addition, the Lab uses a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to analyze adhesive failure patterns.
6. Clinical evaluation: The Lab evaluates dental models, instead of fractures, used in actual clinics.
7. Customer satisfaction evaluation: The Lab evaluates customer satisfaction levels for dental equipment and programs based on questionnaires using 5- or 7-point Likert scales.

Biostatistics Research Lab I, II

Introduction

The Biostatistics Research Lab studies research methodologies for healthcare, especially methodologies that quantitatively analyze forms and data in health science. The Lab applies various measurement methods, systematic data collection and proven analysis techniques to comprehensively assess and analyze the physical and psychological aspects of health, thereby helping make reasonable decisions based on such findings. The accumulation of modern knowledge has drawn on the statistical decision-making process, which means that an in-depth understanding of statistics is significant in healthcare given the diverse and complicated data involved. The Lab performs various studies to assess the correlations between social and environmental factors and states of health using scientific methods essential to identifying concrete reality, including multilevel analysis that rationally evaluates the mutual relations between individuals and social environments, structural model analysis that systematizes potential factors, and analysis of long-term panel data. In addition, the Lab is focusing its research on dental issues of teenagers, as well as dental issues and dementia of the elderly.

Main Research Areas

The studies we conduct, first, include panel surveys on the physical and mental health of the elderly and intervention research. With a focus on seniors’ dental health and quality of life, these studies are performed to collect supportive data essential to comprehensively identify their dental, physical and mental states. Second, as part of social survey research, researchers of the Lab have established individual research plans using health and welfare panel data in Spring 2015. The research plans are as follows: Yu Ji-young: The link between socioeconomic status in childhood and satisfaction level at old age Choi Eun-sil: The link between dental health, physical disease and quality of life Kim Bo-eun: The link between married men’s recognition of gender roles and depression Jeong Da-un: The effects of employment status and job security on depression

Research Lab of Environmental Epidemiology

Introduction

Under the supervision of Prof. Lee Jong-Tae, the Lab is studying environmental epidemiology and healthcare statistics while conducting related research on environmental health. With an aim to promoting national environmental health, the Lab has performed R&D projects, including the development of an environmental health index as well as a food and health index, assessment and prediction of the impact of air pollution and climate on health, and estimation of environmental disease burdens. Students seeking information about studying these areas or continuing these studies in the graduate program are welcome to pay us a visit.

Main Research Areas

Evaluation and prediction of the effects of climate change on health and allergic diseases

- Verify the causality between climate change and asthma and allergic diseases and estimate subsequent future health burdens

Air pollution epidemiology research

- Assess the association of exposure to air pollution such as fine dust and death using various research methodologies such as time series and survival analysis

Assessment of air pollution exposure

- Use land-use regression, the latest assessment method of exposure, to estimate more valid measures of individual air pollution exposure and to develop a model to predict the density of NO2 and fine dust in the air

Epidemiological methodology study on air pollution and climate change

- Verify temporal and spatial fluctuations in relative risks posed by air pollution and climate change and study the methodology to assess health impacts

Climate change program for Africa

- Identify populations vulnerable to infectious diseases triggered by climate change and offer education on environmental impact assessment along with water and air pollution measures in Africa

Health Economics Lab

Introduction

Health economics is a field of study that reflects the demand of a socio-scientific approach to healthcare because the health insurance system has a significant impact on our society. Health economics becomes more important as it deals with the effective distribution of primary social goods and health equity. Based on this, the discipline provides a rational ground for policy makers to allocate health resources. As an applied economics, health economics adopts the analysis tools and models of economics to health policy decision making. The Health Economics Lab studies and analyzes institutional and social environments that can curb the increases in medical expenditures, improve vulnerable populations’ access to healthcare services, and allocate resources for the poor fairly.

Main Research Areas

Overall subjects related to health insurance policy, healthcare accessibility, and measurement of health equity are the topics of our research. Studies the Lab is currently conducting are as follows:

• Analysis of influential factors of health inequity
• Analysis of socioeconomic detriments of dental health inequality
• Measurement of dental health inequity in tandem with the level of health insurance
• Grouping of unfulfilled healthcare experiences and analysis of influential factors by group
• Measurement of differences in healthcare use by unfulfilled medical experience
• Analysis of changes in the quality of life by unfulfilled medical experience
• Analysis of the link between medical spending burden and deterioration of mental health
• Measurement of differences in healthcare use by region and income inequality
• Analysis of health determinants in elderly populations and studies on measures to mitigate health inequities of the elderly

Ubiquitous Health Lab

Introduction

Due to Korea’s aging population and low birthrate, as well as the mounting number of chronically ill patients, the medical spending of the nation and individuals has increased sharply in recent years. At the same time, the public requests quality medical service to match the changes in living environments. To resolve these issues, the government has striven to promote u-health services since the early 2000s through pilot programs. To support those efforts, the Lab conducts various studies regarding u-health. They include u-health service model development, policy and technological development for u-health standardization and promotion (including accreditation of u-health equipment and compression and transmission of medical data), and studies on u-health related laws and regulations. Korea is well known for its advanced IT infrastructure and has striven to prove the efficiency and reliability of u-health with various methods based on pilot programs, and thus its u-health industry will continue to grow. In particular, as the domestic u-health industry targets the global market, technological development and timing are significant for the industry.

Health Information Management Lab

Introduction

Health information management is a field of study that manages or utilizes health data essential to making effective and informed decisions to provide quality health service and enhance cost-effectiveness. Such studies collect and analyze accurate primary data from electronic medical records (EMR) and establish secondary data sets for multiple purposes. Based on the above, the lab studies the process and results of effective decision making.

Main Research Areas

1. Personal Health Record (PHR): Establishment and utilization of individual health data for bespoke health management
2. Healthcare Business Intelligence: Big data-based decision making for the health industry and policy effectuation
3. Health Quality Management: Quality assessment of health services using standards or guidelines
4. Healthcare Research Method: Research process to discover new information or amend research topics

Health & Social Policy Lab

Introduction

The Health and Social Policy Lab studies institutional, systematic and political factors, among others, which contribute to health or non-health. To this end, the Lab approaches research from the political and economic aspects of health and (welfare) nation theory, using macro-level comparative methodology.

In particular, the Lab conducts research on the link between the welfare nation and the health of the labor market, as well as the role of gender, and the effects of exposure to macro health factors across the life cycle on states of health in middle and old age adults. In particular, we are developing a community-based health promotion model based on the Dosshouse Village in Dongja-dong. Our projects demonstrate the association between community-based models and public policy good for health, and the Lab studies health and social security policy for urban poor populations. We also perform research on socioeconomic factors influencing the incidence of tuberculosis, the health industry related to the aging population, health R&D policies, and the distribution of toxic substances and their impact on health.

Main Research Areas

The areas of focus can be summarized under health and social development, which encompasses macro-level comparative politics of a welfare nation and social development, comparative policy research, health promotion for middle-income communities, and strategies to transfer health and welfare technologies to developing countries via ODA.

1. Welfare nation and health
2. Social technology, inclusive development and ODA
3. Natural science, engineering, and studies on health equity combining social science

Healthcare Management Lab.

Introduction

The Healthcare Management Lab explores optimal management tools for health policy, administrative activities and health management systems essential for national and private health organizations to promote the health and quality of life of the people or community residents. More precisely, we focus on health organization management, human resource management, health accounting and financial management, health service marketing, and the quality control of health services.

Main Research Areas

Our research areas include health organization management, human resource management, health accounting and financial management, health service marketing, and the quality control of health services.