BackgroundTo ensure equal access to necessary care regardless of an individual’s socioeconomic status, it is crucial to understand the factors that act as barriers. Unmet health care needs can arise for a variety of complex reasons, including personal choice, financial barriers, or lack of services, and each of these reasons requires a different policy approach. Researchers have advocated for a more granular measure of unmet health care need for better policy implication. This study aimed to assess various factors associated with different types of unmet health care needs in Korea.MethodsThe Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2010–2012 was used to analyze responses from 17,610 individuals over age 19. To measure the unmet needs of this population, self-reported experience in the past 1 year was used, and individual’s reasons for unmet need were sorted into three distinct categories – availability, acceptability, accessibility. Four different logistic regression models stratified by gender were used to examine the relationship between socioeconomic factors and unmet needs.ResultsWhile income was not a significant factor for men, women with lower incomes showed a higher likelihood of experiencing unmet need. In addition, women with lower incomes showed higher odds of having acceptability-related unmet needs during the past 1 year compared to men. Education and income levels were associated with accessibility-related unmet needs for both women and men.ConclusionAs unmet health care needs are considered to be a critical indicator of a country’s health care system, it is crucial to identify and eliminate any obstacles that prevent access to health care services. Under the current universal health care system in Korea, women, particularly those of lower income and lower educational levels, have limited access to necessary health care services. A gender-specific health care plan is recommended to reduce the higher rate of unmet needs experienced by this group. To reduce accessibility-related unmet needs, increasing available services for younger age groups, reflecting their needs of health services, needs to be considered.

ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and type 2 diabetes using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2010–2012.DesignA pooled sample cross-sectional study.SettingA nationally representative population survey data.ParticipantsA total of 14 330 individuals who participated in the KNHANES 2010–2012 were included in our analysis.Primary outcomePrevalence of type 2 diabetes.ResultsThe relationship between SES and type 2 diabetes was assessed using logistic regression after adjusting for covariates including age, gender, marital status, region, body mass index, physical activity, smoking and high-risk drinking behaviour. After adjustment for covariates, our results indicated that individuals with the lowest income were more likely to have type 2 diabetes than those with the highest income (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.72). In addition, lower educational attainment was an independent factor for a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Korea.ConclusionsThese findings suggest the need for developing a health policy to ameliorate socioeconomic inequalities, in particular income and education-related disparities in type 2 diabetes, along with risk factors at the individual level. In addition, future investigations of type 2 diabetes among Koreans should pay more attention to the social determinants of diabetes in order to understand the various causes of the condition.

IntroductionAdherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) is vital in achieving virological treatment success. This study assessed the prevalence of optimal ART adherence and its determinants among HIV/AIDS patients in Vietnam.MethodA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1,016 HIV/AIDS patients at seven hospitals and health centers providing antiretroviral treatment services in three provinces, including Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Ho Chi Minh City. Self-reported medication adherence was measured using a 30-day visual analog scale (VAS) and 7-day missed-doses questions.ResultsThe mean adherence VAS-score was 94.5 out of 100 (SD=8.2), ranging from 40 to 100%. The rate of suboptimal adherence was 25.9%. The rate of missed-doses was 25.2%. In multivariate analysis, increased perceived self-efficacy, use of mobile phone alarms, and reminders from family members were associated with optimal adherence; higher CD4 level, single status, and unstable employment were associated with suboptimal adherence.ConclusionHigh rate of suboptimal adherence observed in this study highlights the importance of adherence support interventions during ART. The use of mobile phone reminders, involvement of relatives, and HIV self-management training programs have the potential to improve ART adherence in Vietnam.

Abstractobjective To assess the out-of-pocket (OOP) payments for health-care services of HIV/AIDS patients, and identify associated factors in Vietnam.

Cognitive function is a critical health issue in later life, the decline of which disrupts well-being and daily life function. Cognitive decline in older ages can also be understood in the context of the social environment such as social connectedness and engagement in personal life. This study aimed to examine: (1) whether participation in social activities contributes to preventing cognitive decline, and (2) what type of social activities are beneficial to maintaining cognitive function. Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLOSA) 2006–2014, a longitudinal survey of the household-dwelling population aged 45 and older in Korea were used. The results revealed that Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores decreased with increasing age, at a rate of approximately 0.18 units across all age-gender groups, and the decrease was steeper for adults aged 65 and over. Participation in social gatherings was likely to delay the decline in cognitive function after the age of 65. In a gender-stratified model, social activity may not have an impact on the decline of cognitive function for men, whereas participation in social gatherings was negatively related to the decline of MMSE scores in women. This study suggests the need for a gender-stratified policy for preventing the decline of cognitive function while promoting engagement in social activities in Korean older adults.