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Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA),
under the Office of the Prime Minister, is the largest population,
health and welfare research institute in the Republic of
Korea.
Among its functions, it performs various activities pertaining
to the collection, exchange and dissemination of information
to users at home and abroad, as well as the analysis of
statistical data on population, health and social welfare.
KIHASA is the sponsor of various seminars and the source
of research data and information about population, health
and social welfare in the Republic of Korea.
Among its many products and services, KIHASA
produces Korean-language translations of English-language
publications that are printed and distributed to persons
and institutions nationwide. It also produces directories
with funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
and technical assistance from ESCAP: for example, a directory
of population experts, a directory of current population
research and a directory of population institutions. The
primary aim of these directories is to draw attention to
experts, current research and institutions in the field
of population and to prevent duplication of effort by preventing
redundant research while providing researchers with new
ideas and helping them to identify available resources.
The Republic of Korea has implemented one
of the most successful family planning programmes in the
world. Backing up the national programme is a comprehensive
knowledge base maintained by KIHASA.
KIHASA publishes various types of research reports, journals
and other materials. Major publications are KIHASA Newsletter,
Health and Welfare Policy Forum (monthly), KIHASA Brochure,
Research Monographs, Policy Monographs, Working Papers,
Health and Social Welfare Review (semi-annually) and an
acquisitions list (semi-monthly).
KIHASA has collected national bibliographic data and developed
a bibliographic information retrieval system. From 1999,
KIHASA began utilizing a computerized Web-based bibliographic
information retrieval system, KIHASALINE. Thereafter, it
ceased publishing the Bibliography on Population, Health
and Social Affairs. Its bibliographic database, which has
been installed in the main computer system, contains citations
of books, journal articles, conference papers and statistical
materials collected by the KIHASA Library. Through these
means, it provides information necessary to conduct research
in order to develop government policies.
KIHASA maintains a large collection; several
thousand bibliographic citations are added to its database
every year. Using computer terminals in KIHASA, users can
rapidly obtain the required information from the computerized
bibliographic database.
Crunching numbers is something that computers do very well
and analysing population data is a task that KIHASA has
accomplished with great success.
KIHASA conducts several periodic nationwide sample surveys,
such as the National Fertility and Family Health Survey
(every three years), National Health and Nutrition Survey,
Minimum Living Expenditure Survey, Survey on Living Profile
and Welfare Needs of the Elderly (every five years), and
Survey on Welfare Needs of the Disabled (every five years)
in addition to ad hoc surveys on various subjects. The data
are analysed and used efficiently for making population
projections and short- and long-term population policies.
KIHASA uses the Internet and the Korea Statistical Information
System (KOSIS) service, which offers statistical information
through the National Statistical Office.
The health centre information system is an important part
of the national health information system, which in turn
is a part of the National Administration Network. The health
centre information system is expected to improve the quality
of the activities and services that health centres offer
by reducing their manual workload and minimizing duplication
of data. In addition, the health centre information system,
as a part of the regional health information system, is
designed to contribute to the planning and evaluation of
the public health system.
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Korea Institute for Health
and Social Affairs
Resource base
Size of collection:
37,000 publications plus over 500 periodicals
Classification/cataloguing systems:
Library of Congress, Korean cataloging rules. Glossary of
Health and Social Welfare used as thesaurus
lnformation-handling equipment:
MV 15000/8 and personal computers used for mailing lists,
bibliographic information storage and retrieval, production
of publications, other database applications
Products and services
Publications and services:
Acquisition lists of books/periodicals, topical bibliographies,
technical journal. Inquiry/reference, abstracting/indexing,
repackaging of information/production of publications, routing
of periodicals, borrowing privileges, inter-library loans,
photocopy services, literature searches, document distribution/redistribution
service
Types of users served:
Programme administrators and project managers, researchers,
academicians/ teachers, students
Other:
Exchanges information with Seoul National University, Population
and Development Studies Centre; Institute of Population
Problems; Seoul National University, School of Public Health
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