J Korean Acad Oral Health.  2022 Mar;46(1):21-26. 10.11149/jkaoh.2022.46.1.21.

An expert opinion study on policy tasks and approaches for the oral health care systems integrations in South-North Korea

• Lee SH
• Jung SH

• KMID: 2527643
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11149/jkaoh.2022.46.1.21

Abstract

Objectives
The aim of this study was to develop policy tasks and approaches for the integration of oral health care systems in South and North Korea on the basis of a literature research, and to verify their validity through a Delphi survey of an expert panel.
Methods
Twelve policy tasks and 11 approaches for South-North Korea integration were developed by a comparative model of oral health care systems. Two rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted via e-mail on May 20 and June 16, 2020, targeting 10 experts with experience in inter-Korean oral health care exchange and cooperation or related research. The mean, coefficient of variation (CV), and content validity ration (CVR) were calculated for each item. The validity of each item was judged based on the CVR.
Results
The five policy tasks that meet the consensus of experts are: the integration of dental college education, the integration of activity qualifications and supply/demand for general dentists, the integration of education and training for auxiliary dental personnel, the integration of activity qualifications and supply/demand for auxiliary dental personnel, and the integration of oral health care financing. The nine approaches of the consensus of experts are: sharing the philosophy, values, and strategies, guaranteeing geographic access for residents, standardized oral health care delivery, an integrated performance management system, an integrated computerized information system, an integrated governance structure, the installation and operation of an integrated organization, the re-education and re-qualification of active oral health care personnel, and integrated goals for oral health outcomes.
Conclusions
The expert panel showed a relatively high degree of agreement with policy tasks and approaches for the integration of the South-North Korea oral health care systems. It is necessary to develop more realistic contents based on more reliable North Korean data in the future.

Keyword

Delphi study; Implementation approach; Korean unification; Oral health care systems integration; Policy task

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 A comparative model of oral health care systems.

Reference

References

1. Ministry of Unification. The national community unification formula [Internet]. Available from: https://www.unikorea.go.kr/unikorea/policy/Mplan/Pabout/. cited 2021 May 18.

2. Kim BS. Kim HJ, Gang CY, Kim BS, Kim BR, Kim HJ, Lee SW, editors. 2020. Awareness of unification. Unification perception survey 2019. Institute for peace and unification studies, Seoul National University;Seoul: p. 30–82. DOI: 10.21719/ijtms.34.5.13.

3. Lee MC. 2020; The necessity of the inter-Korean confederation discussion for true national liberation. Korea Institute for National Unification Online Series CO20-20. 1–7.

4. Ministry of Unification. Moon Jae-in's policy on the Korean peninsula-peace and prosperity on the Korean peninsula [Internet]. Available from: http://www.unikorea.go.kr/koreapolicy/index.html#page=1. cited 2021 May 18.

5. Moon OR. 1993; A comparative study on the health care system of South and North Korea. The Korean Journal of Public Health. 30(1):45–72.

6. Park IH, Moon OR. 1994; Policy issues and directions for the integration of North and South Korean health care system. Health and Social Welfare Review. 14(1):163–189.

7. Lee GY. 1994; The healthcare system approach between South and North Korea in preparation for unification. J. Institute Health and Environmental Science. 4(2):98–105.

8. Moon OR. 1998; The unification of health care for the united Korea. The Korean Journal of Public Health. 35(1):48–71.

9. Choe MH. 2004; Development of model for health care system after unification through comparative study of North and South Korea. Health &. Welfare. 7:83–102. DOI: 10.23948/kshw.2004.12.7.83.

10. Yoon SJ. 2013; The experiences of system integration countries informing the potential unification of the Korean peninsula's healthcare system. J Korean Med Assoc. 56(5):389–393. DOI: 10.5124/jkma.2013.56.5.389.

11. Jeon WT. Jeon WT, Gang MA, Kim SJ, Kim SH, Kim SY, Kim SG, editors. 2018. Preparation of health care for forming a healthy community in the Korean peninsula. Preparation of health community in the Korean peninsula. Parkyoungsa;Seoul: p. 3–26.

12. Widstrom E, Eaton KA. 2004; Oral healthcare systems in the extended European Union. Oral Health Prev Dent. 2:155–194. PMID: 15641621.

13. Kravitz AS, Bullock A, Cowpe J. 2015. Manual of dental practice 2015. 5.1. ed. Council of European Dentists;Brussels: p. 9–56.

14. Oral Health Policy Research Group. 2001. Initiative of a oral health care system unification in South and North Korea. Gunchi;Seoul:

15. Shin TJ, Han DH, Jin BH, Kim TI, Lee JI, Kim CC. 2015; A study on the North Korea's dentistry education system and its implication on the direction for integration of South and North Korea's dentistry education. J Korean Dent Assoc. 53:726–731.

16. Lee JH. Jeon WT, Gang MA, Kim SJ, Kim SH, Kim SY, Kim SG, editors. 2018. Preparation of health care integration in the field of dentistry. Preparation of health community in the Korean peninsula. Parkyoungsa;Seoul: p. 165–180.

17. World Health Organization. 2007; Everybody business: strengthening health systems to improve health outcomes: WHO's framework for action. World Health Organization. 1–6.

18. Neumann DG, Quinonez C. 2014; A comparative analysis of oral health care systems in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Brazil. Network for Canadian Oral Health Research Working Papers Series. 1(2):1–18.

19. Lee HK. 2013. A study on the training policy for 'health care workers' in North Korea: with the focus on workers training to lead the regime [Ph. D thesis]. University of North Korea Studies;Seoul: [Korean].

20. North Korea Information Portal, Ministry of Unification. Health care, Education and training of health care personnel [Internet]. Available from: https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/overview/nkOverview.do. cited 2021 May 14.

21. Database on a Unified Korea's Legal System. North Korean laws [Internet]. Available from: http://www.unilaw.go.kr/Index.do. cited 2021 May 14.

22. Lawshe CH. 1975; A quantitative approach to content validity. Personnel Psychology. 28:563–575. DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-6570.1975.tb01393.x.

23. Jung SH. Jung SH, editor. 2021. The concept and history of oral health policy and management. People centered oral health policy and management. DaehanNarae Publishing Inc.;Seoul: p. 5–18.

24. Lee SR, Jung SH. 2020; An exploratory study on development policy and the status of oral health care in the North Korea during the Kim Jong-Un era. J Koran Acad Oral Health. 44(1):26–33. DOI: 10.11149/jkaoh.2020.44.1.26.