욕창, 여기 사람 있어요 [풀영상] | 창 419회 (KBS 23.05.23)

■ Bedsores, an Old Story Everyone is familiar with bedsores. We've all heard about them from friends, coworkers, dramas, news, and other media. Many people think of them as a nasty skin disease that commonly affects the elderly. However, through reporting, we learned that bedsores are a truly terrifying condition. Patients with bedsores must be turned over at least every two hours to relieve pressure on their skin, necessitating 24-hour dedicated care. This devastating disruption not only impacts the patients themselves but also their families. Therefore, wouldn't highlighting bedsores provide insight into the gaps in care and medical services in South Korea? [Current Affairs Planning Window] believed that, with South Korea poised to enter a super-aged society in two years, it deserves even more attention. ■ Nationwide Analysis of Bedsore Patients [Current Affairs Planning Window] requested data on bedsore patients from the National Health Insurance Service and analyzed it by income and region. Through the paper [Regarding Pressure Ulcers and Patient Income Levels by Professors Park Ji-woong and Lee Jin-yong of Seoul National University], I questioned whether the statistical results derived by the reporting team were meaningful, whether they contained any flaws, and what their social implications were. After interviewing over 20 experts from various fields, patients' families, the Spinal Cord Injury Association, and low-income patients, I learned that pressure ulcers are a disease that often hides and afflicts the vulnerable. Focusing on pressure ulcers, I sought to identify areas that society has overlooked and that need further consideration. ■"More Painful and Poorer"… Pressure Ulcers Are Ankle Landmines Patients' families often refer to pressure ulcers as "ankle landmines." While it's a gruesome metaphor, it's understandable when you observe the daily lives of families caring for patients with pressure ulcers. Of course, hiring a 24-hour caregiver temporarily relieves the patient's family of the burden of care. The problem lies in money. Since COVID-19, the inability of Chinese caregivers to enter the country has led to a decline in the number of domestic caregivers. This shortage has led to a surge in the cost of hiring caregivers. Hiring a caregiver for just one month can cost around 5 million won, making daily life difficult for salaried workers due to the burden of care costs. Therefore, having a bedsore patient at home can cause financial hardship for not only low-income families but also middle-class families. ■ "No Hospitals": A Health Inequality Index Because bedsore treatment is often not covered by insurance, the price of a single ointment can range from 200,000 to 300,000 won. Specialized bandages, which require daily application, cost around 10,000 won each, and a monthly cost of over 300,000 won. Bedsores are a chronic condition that can lead to an inescapable cycle of poverty. Low medical fees also make them a disease hospitals avoid. The longer a bed is occupied by a bedsore patient, the more the hospital incurs a deficit. This is also linked to the lack of local healthcare. In small and medium-sized cities and rural, mountainous, and fishing villages, plastic surgery clinics or specialized burn hospitals capable of bedsore surgery are rare. Most patients have to travel to large cities, but this is often not feasible. Analyzing bedsores provides insight into health inequality. ■ Pressure Ulcers: A Look at the Care and Healthcare Gaps in South Korea Bedsores are a common concern, yet little is understood. We must alleviate the suffering of bedsore patients as soon as possible. We must also prepare. We are aging. In the near future, bedsores could engulf me and my family. [Current Affairs Planning Window] exposes the gaps in care and healthcare in South Korea through bedsores. #CurrentAffairs #Bedsores #AnkleMine #MedicalFees #NursingCosts #Non-Coverage #Poverty #Region #Isolation #MedicalGap Reporting: Ryu Jae-hyun Filming: Kim Seong-mi, Choi Dong-hee, Jeong Seong-hak Video Editing: Kim Dae-young Research: Hwang Hyeon-bi Assistant Director: Lee Jeong-yoon Air Date: Tuesday, May 23, 2023, 10 PM KBS 1TV / YouTube 'CurrentAffairs' website: https://bit.ly/39AXCbF YouTube:    / @kbssisa   Facebook:   / changkbs   Search 'CurrentAffairs' on WAVVE