This research studies the set of factors that affect Korea's healthy city initiative by targeting the officials in charge of the healthy city initiative at the 28 autonomous regional entities in the nation that are members of the World Health Organiza...
This research studies the set of factors that affect Korea's healthy city initiative by targeting the officials in charge of the healthy city initiative at the 28 autonomous regional entities in the nation that are members of the World Health Organization's West Pacific Federation of health cities. This is a descriptive data that wishes to contribute to the advancement of the health city initiative for Korea, which has relatively short history of heathy city.
As for data analysis, SPSS WIN13.0 statistical package was used.
General current situation pertaining to the respondents and autonomous regional entities was manifested in percentage, and government officials 'level of interest and administrative bodies' level of cooperation following the awareness of the head of the autonomous regional entities were analyzed, using x2-test. Problems and difficulties faced by the officials in charge of the healthy city initiative at each autonomous regional entity and the suggestion of the direction for the health city initiative desired by residents were manifested in percentage using frequency.
Significant matters among research results are as follows.
1. Level of awareness on the healthy city
1) Officials in charge of the healthy city initiative
39.9% of the employees replied that they know health city well, while 60.7% of the employees replied that they do not know well. When there is no awareness of the applicable field, initiative's level of specialty is bound to decline. Thus, there is a problem when it comes to effectively conducting the initiative. Thus, it is necessary to develop knowledge education that is centered and applied on each autonomous regional entity when it comes to the concept of the health city and to the healthy city initiative.
2) Department pursuing healthy city
50% of the respondents think that the administration should take care of the healthy city initiative, which may be rather limited when it comes to pursuing health city initiative actively and effectively at the public sanitation centers.
3) Interest level of the head of the autonomous regional entities
60.7% of the respondents said that they know well or some what to the question whether the head of the autonomous regional entities is aware of the key initiatives in detail whereas 35.7% answered otherwise.
2. Factors that influence health city initiative
Factors that influence health city initiative were studied to pursue Korea's healthy city initiative in detail and effectively.
1) Interest of the head of autonomous regional entities and composition of the personnel in charge
67.9% of the respondents selected these as the foremost priority factors, and said that personnel in charge could be composed depending on the interest of the head of autonomous regional entities.
2) Securing budget and capability of the official in charge
Priority was decided as 35, 7%, and this was an issue considered important, following the interest of the head of autonomous regional entities and department in charge, and continual role and responsibility definition is required so that the official in charge of the initiative is not subjected to frequent rotation.
3) Ministry of Health & Welfare and Family's legal system, budget support, formulation of public opinion
There would be extensive relation such as budget support following legal system, development of the department in charge at the center, and increased position of the cities that pursue healthy city initiative. Given the reality in which legal system is not developed, budget support is difficult, and development of legal and systemic measures at the central level and ensuring budget support are needed. Moreover, it is necessary to form public opinion in the nation to publicize the healthy city to all the citizens.
4) Healthy city certification system
This was identified as the lowest priority factor. Compared to other factors, this was analyzed as relatively lower importance because health city initiative is movement, instead of output.
Likewise, the factors that influence healthy city initiative are objectified into eight factors. Exemplary cases in other cities and overseas cities are studied to develop program that suits each city ,and organization and department that lead the initiative need to make effort actively.