Strengthening the Health Promotion Service Delivery Systems in Korea

Abstract

It is widely recognized that effective policy measures to meet population ageing and an increase in chronic diseases should be developed in Korea. Disease prevention and health promotion services have been provided mainly through public sectors. Although provision of disease prevention and health promotion services should be enhanced to face an increase in chronic diseases, increased health promotion services do not necessarily require expansion of public health institutions or manpower. This study proposes policy alternatives to utilize various social welfare institutions at local levels as channels through which disease prevention and health promotion services are provided. This study finds that there remains a significant amount of unmet needs for health promotion services among users of local social welfare facilities, and develops a model which can work for integrating welfare and health promotion services and improving linkages among service providers at local levels. In order to improve linkages, it is recommended that the local governments should support the private welfare facilities for their active participation in providing health promotion services.