Yonsei Med J.  1974 Dec;15(2):58-73. 10.3349/ymj.1974.15.2.58.

An Approach to Promote the Rural Health Care

• Kim MH

• KMID: 687685
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.1974.15.2.58

Abstract

A survey for finding out rural health care was done in Ichon-Gun, Kyonggi-Do during October, 1973. Of the 29,132 inhabitants, 974 persons were interviewed for the basic household survey, maternal and child health, family planning and medical care for illness. The survey included 201 households of total of 4,121. In addition to the survey, an evaluation was done of a two-year old rural health nursing service provided by the Korean Rural Medical Service (KRMS). KRMS was organized with Korean nurses who returned from West Germany and sponsored by the Bread for the World. Following results were obtained: 1. Population structure showed that the age group between 20-30 years old represented 9.4% of all males and 8.5% of all females. 84.6% of interviewees were farmers and 43.5% of the householders were primary school graduates. 2. More than 55% of all the houses had straw-roofing and water supply was dependent upon pumpwells (42.4%). 88% of the latrines were traditional and of insanitary construction. 3. Average marriage age for female respondents was 21.2 years, and average number of pregnancies was 4.9. About 12% of the housewives experienced natural abortions, and 8% were pregnant at the time of the survey. 4. More than 90% of total deliveries were cared for at home and only 8.5% of those received prenatal and post-partum care. Of those wives having home deliveries, 85% wanted to have them at home, and 9% would have preferred hospital delivery. 5. In the month preceding the survey, 72.5% of 947 interviewees had been sick 29.9% from respiratory illness, 12.5% with indigestion, 8.5% with headache and dizziness. Mostly, these patients got treatment through drugstores (20.8%), health subcenters (12.5 %), clinks or hospitals (9.7%). The average patient spent about 1,760 won ($ 4.40) for each illness. Patients missed medical treatment because of economic reasons (6.2%), and carelessness for health and illness (15.9%). 6. Seventy eight percent of total interviewees acknowledged recognition of the activities of Korean Rural Medical Service and 20.5% of the total householders received their health service through medical care (53.5%), immunization (34.5%), and health education (24%). More than half (51.5%) of clients who received health services commented that KRMS work was satisfactory, and 1.5% complained of it being unkind or insufficient. About 10% of total households desired a more closely located health subcenter.

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Child
Child, Preschool
Delivery of Health Care*
Education
Female
Human
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Korea
Male
Maternal Welfare
Middle Age
Pregnancy
Rural Health*
Statistics
Vaccination