title: Prevalence and Factors Associated with the Use of Eye Care Services in South Korea: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2012.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the factors and prevalence of eye care service utilization in the South Korean population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional, population-based study included data from 22,550 Koreans aged ≥5 years who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2010 to 2012. For people aged 5 to 11 years (young children), information was based on self-reports of contact with eye care service in the past year; for people aged ≥12 years (older population), the information was based on the self-reported lifetime contact with eye care service. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses of the complex sample survey data were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of eye care service use in young children during the past year was 61.1% (95% confidence interval, 58.1%-64.1%), while that in the older population during their lifetime was 73.5%. Subjects aged 7 to 11 years were more likely to have had an eye examination in the past year than subjects aged 5 to 6 years (odds ratio, 3.83; 95% confidence interval, 2.37-6.19). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that higher monthly household income, being a National Health Insurance holder, and having private health insurance were related to more frequent use of eye care services in young children. For the older population and women, those living in an urban area and those with a best-corrected visual acuity less than 20 / 40 in the worse-seeing eye were more likely to have had an eye examination during their lifetime. Low education level was associated with low lifetime use of eye care services in the older population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are sociodemographic disparities with use of eye care services in South Korea. This population-based study provides information that is useful for determining different intervention programs based on sociodemographic disparities to promote eye care service utilization in South Korea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hwan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dong-A University Hospital, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Byeong Jin
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Woo
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Shin Hae
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Key Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Song Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Baek
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity
keywords: Eye; Healthcare disparities; National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; Socioeconomic factors; South Korea