public health Archives < South of Seoul https://blog.southofseoul.net/tag/public-health/ Localized Guides for Your Life in Korea Thu, 04 Jan 2024 05:31:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://blog.southofseoul.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/South-of-Seoul-logo-for-header.png public health Archives < South of Seoul https://blog.southofseoul.net/tag/public-health/ 32 32 2022 SOS Public Health Needs Assessment of International Residents in Korea https://blog.southofseoul.net/sos-public-health-needs-assessment/ Fri, 02 Dec 2022 01:56:48 +0000 https://blog.southofseoul.net/?p=13639 Olivia Bowman

This Needs Assessment was conducted by graduate student Olivia Bowman as part of her practicum with SOS Public Health (SOSPH) in the Fall of 2022.  This needs assessment examines healthcare information access among the multinational English-speaking community living in South Korea, with a focus on the role that cultural dissonance may play in such access.

The post 2022 SOS Public Health Needs Assessment of International Residents in Korea appeared first on South of Seoul.

]]>
Participate in the Mental Health Access Survey on Incheon Global Campus https://blog.southofseoul.net/participate-in-the-mental-health-access-survey-on-incheon-global-campus/ Wed, 13 Apr 2022 01:22:28 +0000 https://blog.southofseoul.net/?p=8949 Colton Johnson

Want to support improvements in access to mental health resources for students, faculty, and staff on Incheon Global Campus (IGC)? Take the South of Seoul Public Health (SOS Public Health) Mental Health Access Survey. This blog will tell you how.

The post Participate in the Mental Health Access Survey on Incheon Global Campus appeared first on South of Seoul.

]]>
SOS Public Health: Mental Health Access Initiative on Incheon Global Campus https://blog.southofseoul.net/sos-public-health-mental-health-access-initiative-on-incheon-global-campus/ Mon, 04 Apr 2022 21:16:27 +0000 https://blog.southofseoul.net/?p=7975 Colton Johnson

About Mental Health on International Campuses Studying or working on an international university campus may be rewarding and also stressful. For example, many challenges may exist when adjusting to campus life: a new culture, and language differences while discovering how to access campus resources. Experiences such as these may stir positive and negative emotions such as excitement, joy, nervousness, and fear. Such conflicting emotional experiences may impact the mental health of some students, faculty, and staff at international universities. When such experiences impact mental health in a negative direction, some students, faculty, and staff may find it unsustainable to study or work on international campuses over time. In short, the mental health of students, faculty, and staff needs to be well supported in order to foster a healthy learning environment. Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would like to join our Accessibility Team apply to volunteer with South of Seoul. Please note that the pronunciation of some Korean words may be inaccurate due to AI technology’s limitations. What is Mental Health? Mental health includes a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health challenges affect how we think, act, and feel. For example, mental health stress can affect sleep habits, affecting how one does in school, social life, and physical health. Why is Mental Health Access Important on Campus? Access to mental health resources may significantly affect academic performance. Additionally, among university populations, delayed access to mental health resources has an association with substance use, academic achievement, employment, and other social factors. Why is Access to Mental Health Resources Important? Mental health resources are tools that individuals and communities can use to manage mental health challenges. Resources for mental health may have great significance in improving lives in individuals and communities. Why Research How Mental Health Resources are Accessed? It is vital to understand what may prevent individuals from accessing mental health resources. For instance, a Social Solutions blog on Mental Healthcare Access shares the following reasons: Understanding what prevents access to mental health resources can open doors to improving access to those resources. Similarly, as access to mental healthcare increases, communities and individuals can learn about the importance of those resources and how to access them. The Mental Healthcare Access Social Solutions blog discusses that access to mental health resources can reduce: SOS Public Health’s Research on Mental Health Access at Incheon Global Campus Understanding the difficulty of navigating mental health in an international setting, South of Seoul Public Health (SOS Public Health) created an initiative through their practicum program to research access to mental health resources at Incheon Global Campus (IGC). University of Utah Public Health Practicum student, Colton Johnson will lead this initiative. SOS Public Health Mental Health Access Survey for Incheon Global Campus Mr. Johnson has developed a survey to assess access to mental health resources both on and off-campus among students, staff, and faculty at IGC. Students, faculty, and staff at all IGC universities will be asked to participate in this survey which will be implemented via email, social media, and group chats. The survey will be open from Monday, April 11, 2022, to Friday, April 15, 2022. How will Mental Health Access Research Help the Incheon Global Campus Community? Data from this research will provide information on: Understanding gaps in knowledge among the IGC community on mental health resources will allow SOS Public Health to compile a list of possible resources available on and off campus to university students, faculty, and staff. These resources will be shared on the South of Seoul Blog, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. Additionally, the research may inform how South of Seoul compiles information for international students across South Korea. Where Can the Community go to Stay Updated on the Research? Follow the research by checking out SOS Public Health on Facebook and Instagram. The SOS Public Health team posts information regarding research initiatives and other important public health topics on our blog and social media accounts. Follow SOS Public Health for More Resources Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to stay updated on SOS Public Health Initiatives. If you have questions about healthcare in Korea, visit the Health and Wellness in Korea Facebook Group, or feel free to message SOS Public Health with any questions or concerns. Apply for an SOS Public Health Practicum Opportunity Are you a graduate student looking for practical experience in public health? Apply for a an SOS Public Health Practicum! Click below to learn more about the SOS Public Health Practicum Program. Research Design & Implementation Team UX/UI Supervisor & Editor Research Compliance Supervisor & Editor Primary Researcher & Author Colton Johnson Colton Johnson is a current student at the University of Utah, completing his Master’s in Public Health. He holds a Bachelor’s in Public Health as well, from Brigham Young University – Idaho. Earlier in his graduate program, Mr. Johnson participated in a semester study abroad at the University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) located in Incheon, South Korea. While studying in South Korea, he became interested in research focused on the mental health of international university communities. Because Mr. Johnson developed a passion for supporting his fellow international university community, in January 2022, he applied for a Public Health Practicum with South of Seoul Public Health (SOS Public Health). Through his practicum with SOS Public Health, he has begun developing an initiative to increase access to mental health resources on Incheon Global Campus (IGC), a campus that houses five separate universities, including UAC. Mr. Johnson hopes to apply what he has learned from his practicum to his future career in Public Health.

The post SOS Public Health: Mental Health Access Initiative on Incheon Global Campus appeared first on South of Seoul.

]]>
Participate in the Maternal Health Survey! https://blog.southofseoul.net/participate-in-the-maternal-health-survey/ Mon, 28 Mar 2022 04:49:20 +0000 https://blog.southofseoul.net/?p=8429 Denise Feurer, MSc PH

Want to support improvements in information related to the maternal health of international residents living in South Korea? Take the SOS Public Health Maternal Health Survey. This blog will tell you how.

The post Participate in the Maternal Health Survey! appeared first on South of Seoul.

]]>
Maternal Health: A New SOS Public Health Initiative https://blog.southofseoul.net/maternal-health-a-new-south-of-seoul-public-health-initiative/ Mon, 28 Feb 2022 01:01:12 +0000 https://blog.southofseoul.net/?p=7901 Denise Feurer, MSc PH

South of Seoul Public Health is starting a new initiative: Maternal and Child Health. This initiative aims to research and improve access to maternal healthcare information for the multinational community living in South

The post Maternal Health: A New SOS Public Health Initiative appeared first on South of Seoul.

]]>
SOS Public Health and Utah Asia Campus Collaboration: Mental Health Week https://blog.southofseoul.net/sos-public-health-and-utah-asia-campus-partner-to-implement-mental-health-week-on-campus/ Mon, 20 Dec 2021 11:30:46 +0000 https://blog.southofseoul.net/?p=6999 Lisa Peck, MPH, CPH

A Need for Mental Health Campaigns on University Campuses If you attended a college or university, you may understand the mental health struggles that students face. Factors such as academic/social/financial stress, uncertainty about the future, and lack of sleep contribute to increased mental health challenges among students. Throw in a dash of COVID and a sprinkle of language and cultural barrier to the mix, and stress increases exponentially, especially for students studying abroad. Students who experience high stress are prone to developing depression, anxiety, and eating disorders among other mental health challenges. A 2020 study done in France found that 42.8% of students (nearly 30,000 individuals) reported having at least one mental health disorder (Wathelet, Marielle, et al, 2020). Another 2020 study in the U.S. revealed that 48.14% of students suffer from a moderate-to-severe level of depression, and 38.48% suffer from a moderate-to-severe level of anxiety (Wang, Xiaomei, et al, 2020). In South Korea, the mental health and wellness app Gidep, shared that 25% of Koreans experience mental health concerns. In addition to factors that cause mental health challenges, the stigma surrounding mental health often deters individuals from seeking help. Gidep also shared that only 9.6% of people in South Korea report seeking professional help. Realizing the importance of mental health awareness, former Masters in Public Health (MPH) student, Greta Gokey took it upon herself to address the issue for her own university campus in South Korea. Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would like to join our Accessibility Team apply to volunteer with South of Seoul. Please note that the pronunciation of some Korean words may be inaccurate due to AI technology’s limitations. Mind U: Mental Health Week Background How Mind U began In the Fall of 2019, Ms. Gokey, implemented Mind U: Mental Health and Wellness Week at University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) for her graduate program practicum. This Utah Asia Campus event brought awareness to campus faculty and students regarding mental health challenges that the university community faces. The event allowed students to connect with one another while building a small community of support. Ms. Gokey developed the Mind U: Mental Health and Wellness week to be sustained on campus for future years to come. Unfortunately, when COVID-19 struck full force, Mental Health Week faced many hurdles. COVID restrictions made event implementation difficult as campus navigated new policies to keep the community safely socially distanced. Such changes on the University of Utah Asia Campus impacted students. The University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) has a population of over 400 students (~85% Korean, ~15% International). The international students mostly live on campus in the dorms while the Korean students live both on and off campus. Due to COVID, UAC implemented online classes which left many UAC students isolated with little opportunity to interact with their classmates. Such isolation added to the difficulties some students already faced. According to the 2021 SOS Public Health Mind U Survey, 42.9% of students reported having experienced a mental health challenge. How ‘Mind U: Mental Health Week’ was revived In 2021, SOS Public Health became aware of student mental struggles and sought to support students at the UAC. SOS Public Health recommended continuing the Mind U program and took up the torch to re-ignite Mental Health Week in collaboration with UAC and Ms. Gokey. In addition, SOS Public Health added practicum opportunities for UAC Public Health graduate students to sustain MindU Mental Health Week. In October 2021, Mind U: Mental Health and Wellness Week was brought back to the UAC campus. The following will chronicle the details of such an event. Mind U: Mental Health and Wellness Week Although May is technically designated as ‘National Mental Health Month‘ (in the U.S.), mental health requires regular attention and care. In addition to this, being an international university, UAC has high student turnover each semester. For these reasons, the UAC and SOS Public Health program organizers felt it necessary to implement events for both the fall and spring semesters. SOS Public Health is currently in the planning stages for the Spring 2022 Mental Health Week activities, but for now, let’s talk about what went down this past fall. Mind U: Mental Health and Wellness Week fell on October 12-15 in the Fall 2021 semester. Because Monday, October 11th was a holiday, the event occurred over a 4-day period. The event also coincided with UAC’s midterm schedule which afforded some pros and cons for scheduling. Mind U focused on two main events with a few smaller stress-release activities included. Such activities encouraged community building throughout the week. To accommodate for COVID restrictions and to include students living both on and off campus, the main Mind U events were held in a hybrid format (in-person and online via Zoom). The smaller activities were scheduled in waves to meet South Korea and UAC’s social distancing policy. The event details are as follows: Tiding Tuesday, Big Event #1 For the Mind U Tiding Tuesday Event, the program coordinators invited three speakers to answer student questions about mental health in a panel discussion. The speakers included: During the two weeks leading up to the event, students submitted questions related to mental health via a Google survey form. This strategy allowed students to submit questions anonymously. The inclusion of speakers with varying levels of mental health certification and backgrounds brought diversity to the Q&A responses. This diversity helped students learn about different approaches to mental health. The Tiding Tuesday event had a low RSVP count prior to the event. However, the final attendance surpassed the RSVP count by 392% for in-person and online events combined. In an on-going mental health survey implemented by the program coordinators, many students, as well as staff and faculty expressed gratitude for this particular event. Woke Wednesday, Small Event #1 The Woke Wednesday event was hosted by UAC’s Student Leadership Consultants. The Student Leadership Consultants host an event called Café U every week on campus to bring the student community together to discuss specific topics. The UAC leadership graciously worked with our coordinators to focus on mental health stigma for Café U during Mental Health Week. Student leader, Eunice Kim, put together an excellent presentation on mental health stigma. Through Ms. Kim’s guidance, this event provided a safe space for students (and staff and faculty) to participate in an open discussion about mental health stigma. The event began with a collective group discussion. Then, Ms. Kim broke the group into smaller teams to discuss a specific mental health stigma-related topics in more detail. Café U events typically turn out about 7 student attendees each week on average due to busy student schedules and COVID restrictions. As with the Tiding Tuesday, RSVPs for the Woke Wednesday event were quite low (6 RSVPs). However, the Woke Wednesday event turned out a 314% increase in attendees on the day of the event for in-person and Zoom attendance cobmined. Such a great turnout seemed to reflect the importance of open discussions about mental health. Thoughtful Thursday, Small Event #2 + Big Event #2 Thoughtful Thursday included two events: (1) a lantern making activity and (2) an open mic night. For lantern making, students gathered in a shared space on campus to craft paper lanterns. This activity provided students an opportunity to connect with their fellow classmates. The event also gave students a break from their rigorous midterm study sessions. Mental Health Week coordinators prompted students to write a mental health challenge that they experienced (if they were comfortable doing so). Then, these lanterns were used to “shed light” on mental health challenges the community faces during the Thursday evening event. The evening event titled, Open Mic Light the Night, brought students together for a more intimate gathering. The event opened with a few student performances followed by an open mic session where students could take the stage and share their mental health experiences. As with previous events, the event had a very few RSVPs for both events combined. Fortunately, 259% more students showed up to the actual event than had RSVPed! Students reported that they enjoyed the Thoughtful Thursday evening event. Several students even expressed interest in performing or speaking at the 2022 Fall Mental Health Week Open Mic Night Event. Feelgood Friday, Small Event #3 To close out the week’s events, UAC and SOS Public Health hosted a chill get together for students to destress with some stress-free slime making and slushies. UAC’s wonderful Program Coordinator, Molly Kinder, led this slime making event. Students reported really enjoying this event. This event offered another opportunity for students to connect with one another and make new friends. Feelgood Friday attendance increased 208% above the RSVP count. The overall lower participation rate for this event was due, in part, to many students traveling for the weekend. However, the event turnout still came out excellently for an in-person event in the midst of COVID. SOS Public Health’s continued support for Mental Health Awareness on campus Community support is important for individuals, especially during COVID. Support is especially important for students living in a world with COVID while studying abroad in an unfamiliar country. When asked if Mental Health Week had any value for this international campus community, 97.1% of students expressed that the Mind U Events offered a level of value. SOS Public Health and UAC are dedicated to the continuation of Mental Health Week on not only at Utah Asia Campus, but also at other universities within South Korea. How can you get involved with improving Mental Health Awareness on school campuses? Special Thanks and Recognition SOS Public Health would like to recoginze the efforts of all UAC volunteers and participants involved in bringing togeher the UAC community during the Mind U: Mental Health and Wellness Week. This event wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our amazing Mental Health Week Volunteer Team. Special Thanks go out to: Lisa Peck, MPH, CPHMs. Peck graduated from the University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) in Incheon with a Master’s in Public Health and her Certification in Public Health (CPH). Ms. Peck also holds a Bachelor’s Degrees in Linguistics and one in International Studies with a Global Health emphasis. Ms. Peck is Korean American and speaks both English and Korean. She has moved between the US and Korea since childhood, finally settling in Korea after graduating from UAC. In 2021 Ms. Peck founded the South of Seoul Public Health Program which focuses on research and initiatives regarding the health and wellness of multinational residents in South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Peck oversees the SOS Public Health Graduate Student Practicum Program which provides mentorship and training for Master’s in Public Health students. The program works with two students a semester with a focus on ethical UX research design, survey development, and initiative implementation. www.southofseoul.net

The post SOS Public Health and Utah Asia Campus Collaboration: Mental Health Week appeared first on South of Seoul.

]]>
How to obtain your Korean COVID vaccination certificate in English https://blog.southofseoul.net/how-to-access-and-print-your-korean-covid-vaccination-certificate-in-english/ Wed, 08 Sep 2021 13:37:16 +0000 https://blog.southofseoul.net/?p=5964 Lisa Peck, MPH, CPH

Why would I need to have my COVID vaccination certificate printed in English? The vaccination process in South Korea has been picking up speed over the last couple of months, particularly among our expat teacher community. If you completed both doses of the COVID vaccine in South Korea, then you should have received a vaccination certificate similar to the one pictured below. Your vaccination certificate is also available on the COOV app which you have access to if you have a contracted Korean phone number under your name. While you can use this certificate and the COOV app as proof of vaccination within Korea, you CANNOT use it when traveling abroad. Some countries that accept vaccinations completed in Korea require an English version of the certificate. So, how can you get access to your English translated certificate? Read the extremely long and detailed instruction manual below to find out! Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would like to join our Accessibility Team apply to volunteer with South of Seoul. Please note that the pronunciation of some Korean words may be inaccurate due to AI technology’s limitations. Prerequisites for printing your vaccination certificate via the KDCA website The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) allows residents to access their vaccination certificates directly from their website. Through the KDCA website you can view and print the Korean version as well as the English version of your certificate. HOWEVER, in order to access your certificate, there are a two requirements. NOTE: Accessing anything on Korean websites can be a long, confusing, and frustrating process. Getting to your English COVID vaccination certificate on the KDCA website will require some time and patience. Bare with me. I have done my best to lay out each instruction step by step with screenshots for the entire process. If you don’t want to bother with the roller coaster of Korea’s online platform, skip to the bottom of this blog to see another option for obtaining your English COVID vaccination certificate. 1. You must have a Korean phone number associated with your ARC number These days, in Korea, your alien registration card (ARC) number is attached to EVERYTHING, including your Korean phone plan. If your ARC number is not associated with a contracted Korean phone number, accessing anything online can be difficult. Korea’s online security requires a ton of verifications before allowing access to sensitive personal information. So, if you have a phone that is under someone else’s ARC number, then you will not be able to access your certificate through the KDCA’s website. 2. You must have an accredited certificate of authentication aka a digital certificate of authentication aka official ID certificate (공인닝증서 [gong in injeung seo]) This certificate is referred to by many names in English. I will refer to it as a digital certificate. Most folks, like myself, acquire a digital certificate of authentication through their mobile banking app or bank website. Digital certificates via a banking app/site are free, take only a couple of minutes to set up, and must be renewed every year. Some people purchase digital certificates for a small fee. You can learn how to set up a digital certificate here. This digital certificate can be used across different websites that deal with sensitive personal information, like the KDCA website. You will need to make sure to copy and save your digital certificate on the device you wish to use to access the KDCA website. You can copy and save the digital certificate to multiple devices (i.e. cell phone, desktop, USB). If don’t have a digital certificate saved to the device you want to use for the KDCA website, you won’t have access to your vaccination certificate. How to access the English version of your vaccination certificate Once you have a Korean phone number associated with your ARC number and a digital certificate set up, you can start the process for printing your vaccination certificate in English. Just a little warning, this process may get confusing. Take your time, read the instructions below carefully, and you will have your English vaccination certificate in no time. Step 1: Register for an account on the KDCA Website When you click into the website link, you will see a popup screen. Close this screen. In the top right-hand corner of the screen, you will see a black button that reads 회원가입. Click this button (see image below). Scroll down a bit. Check the boxes labeled 위 이용약관에 동의합니다 and 동의합니다 to accept the website’s terms and conditions for registration. Then click, the grey box at the bottom labeled 동의 as shown in the image below. Verifying your phone number On this page you have a choice between verifying via your cell phone or an i-PIN. I am not sure how the i-PIN works. I have never been able to acquire an i-PIN. However, if you have an i-PIN continue on by clicking the blue button labeled i-PIN. Otherwise, click on 휴대폰 인증 to complete a cell phone verification process. After clicking the cell phone verification button, you will get a pop up screen that looks like the image below. Select your cell phone service provider. Click the “Full Consent” check box. Then, you can either choose to verify via PASS or SMS. Choose whichever works best for you. With PASS, you will need to download the PASS app if you haven’t already done so and verify according to your PASS app instructions. For SMS verification, you will receive a text message with a numeric code to input. I find this to be the easiest option. See below for SMS verification steps. Below is what the SMS verification screen looks like. You will need to enter your name as shown on your Alien Registration Card (ARC) as well as the first 7 digits of your ARC number. Then, enter your phone number, type in the captcha code and click “Confirm.” You will receive a text message to your phone with a six digit code. Enter the code on your verification screen and click “Confirm.” Creating your user name and password After verifying your phone number, you should be redirected to the page shown below. This is where you will create your user name and password. Your user name should be between 6-10 characters. If your user name isn’t accepted, try typing it in all lower case letters. Korean sites often don’t distinguish between capital and lower case letters. Your password should be 9 or more characters long and include alphanumeric (letters and numbers) text as well as a special character. The ACCEPTABLE special characters include !@$%^&* (any other special characters will be rejected. Once you’ve created your user name and password. Re-enter your phone number and click 확인 to confirm. You successfully created an account if you see the below prompt pop up. Click “OK” and you will be redirected back to the main page of the KDCA website to log in. Now you can log into the KDCA website to access your COVID vaccination record. Step 2: Update your personal profile with your digital certificate Now that you have registered an account on the KDCA website and you are logged in, you can access your English COVID vaccination record. Just follow the instructions listed below. First, after logging in, find the button on the top right hand corner of the webpage labeled 회원정보 수정. Click it. Then, on the left hand side of the page, find and click on 회원부가정보 입력. NOTE: Remember the digital certificate (공인증서) we talked about all the way at the top of this blog? You will need that certificate for this next part. So, if you didn’t have a chance to get one set up already, here is another opportunity. Just follow the instructions on this blog post and you will be ready for the next step. Scroll down to the bottom of the KDCA page. Enter your information as shown below. You will upload your digital certificate on the last row of this table where it says 인증서 등록 . Uploading your digital certificate When you click on 인증서 등록, you will get a pop up screen that looks like the image below. You may need to click on a few buttons before you find it, but search for your digital certificate and enter the password associated with your digital certificate. I found my digital certificate listed under the button labeled 하드디스크 (hard disk). Click 확인 when you have finished entering your credentials. If the digital certificate row reads 등록되었습니다, then you can click 회원정보 수정 at the bottom of the page to save your information. You will know it saved correctly if you see the pop up message below. Click OK. Step 3: Access your English COVID vaccination certificate Phew! Are you still with me? If you are, I am proud of you for making it this far. Korea’s online systems require a lot of verifications to ensure that your information remains secure from hackers. It can get super frustrating to navigate this system, but once you get set up, it gets easier. Okay, so you should now be back to the main KDCA page. On the right hand side of the page, you will see a button panel (see image below). Click the top button on the panel labeled 예방접종증명서 신청. Click on 영문 for the English version of your COVID vaccination certificate. Then, click the button next to your name labeled 증명서 신청. Fill out the form with your information as shown below. The digital certificate pop up window will appear. Find your digital certificate. Enter your digital certificate password. Then, click 확인 to confirm. The below message means you are good to go. Click OK. Step 4 (Hallelujah!): Printing your English COVID vaccination certificate Select the dates from when you received your first shot to when you received your second shot. Then, click 검색. Your vaccination certificate will appear in the table below. Click 문서출력. A pop up window will appear with instructions on how to print your COVID vaccination certificate. After skimming through the instructions, close out of the instructions window to view your English COVID vaccination record. Click on the printer button on the top right corner of the page and there you have it! Congratulations if you made it through this crazy long blog on how to print your English COVID vaccination certificate. You are a trooper! If you went through all of these instructions and still weren’t able to get access to your vaccination certificate, there is another way. What if I can’t (or don’t want to) access my COVID vaccination record online? If you couldn’t access your COVID vaccination online after going through the entire process above, you have two other options for getting a COVID vaccination certificate appropriate for travel outside the country. Visit your local health (보건소) or community center (주민센터) Not all health centers and community centers offer this service, so it would be wise to call ahead to double check if yours does. However, some local health centers (보건소) or community centers (주민센터 aka 동사무소) will print an English COVID vaccination certificate for you if you visit in person. Just copy and paste these names (보건소 or 주민센 터 or 동사무소) into Naver or Kakao maps to find a location near you. Make sure you bring your Alien Registration Card (ARC) with you when you visit. Get your Korean certificate apostilled On a call with a 1339 COVID call center representative, I was informed that you can get your Korean COVID vaccination certificate apostilled to verify it for when you travel outside the country. Before starting this process, always check the rules and policies for the country you are traveling to. Make sure that an apostilled copy...

The post How to obtain your Korean COVID vaccination certificate in English appeared first on South of Seoul.

]]>
The New South of Seoul Public Health Program https://blog.southofseoul.net/south-of-seoul-public-health-program/ Wed, 07 Jul 2021 10:46:08 +0000 https://blog.southofseoul.net/?p=5275 Lisa Peck, MPH, CPH

The Start of the South of Seoul Public Health Program Since 2015, South of Seoul volunteers have supported the English-speaking international community living in South Korea. When COVID-19 swept across the country, the lack of access to critical information related to healthcare for the international community became evident. After observing such struggles within the international community, South of Seoul volunteers began developing the new South of Seoul Public Health Program. Such an initiative aimed at increasing knowledge about primary health care among the English-speaking international population in South Korea. Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would like to join our Accessibility Team apply to volunteer with South of Seoul. Please note that the pronunciation of some Korean words may be inaccurate due to AI technology’s limitations. South of Seoul partnering with University of Utah Grad Student in the name of Public Health Over the last few months, South of Seoul has been working with a University of Utah Asia Campus alumni, Lisa Peck, to establish the South of Seoul Public Health Program. Ms. Peck holds a Master’s in Public Health in addition to a Bachelor’s in Linguistics and in International Studies with an emphasis on global health from the University of Utah. Ms. Peck has lived in Korea for over 12 years and has a passion for helping her community. What does data collection look like for the South of Seoul Public Health Program? In the next few weeks, South of Seoul will be conducting a foundational survey. Such a survey aims to gather general information on the English-speaking international community’s access to primary health care in South Korea. The collected information will include: All data collected in this survey will remain anonymous. Data will not be tied to the respondent’s identity in any way. Participate in the South of Seoul Public Health Survey South of Seoul will utilize social media channels to distribute the survey to the English-speaking international community across South Korea. Any and all international residents of Korea are welcome to participate in this survey. The survey will be open from Monday, July 12th until Sunday, July 25th 2021. Feel free to share this survey with anyone interested in participating. The more respondents, the better the data. The more data, the more South of Seoul can advocate for improved public health information for international residents. Why is the South of Seoul Public Health Program Important? This research aims to gain an understanding of where gaps in knowledge about primary healthcare exist. Identifying the biggest struggles in access to primary healthcare for our international community allows South of Seoul to tailor their research to fit the public’s need. The South of Seoul team strives to provide information that gives the community the ability to build autonomy and advocate for themselves regarding primary healthcare needs. How to stay updated on the South of Seoul Public Health Program Information gathered from the SOS Public Health survey will help to fill the gaps in knowledge on healthcare access. Relevant information will be shared in blogs, newspaper articles, and advocacy presentations. Stay updated on this research by following the SOS Public Health Facebook page and Instagram accounts. Join the Health and Wellness in Korea Facebook Group to ask questions and learn more about health related topics in Korea. Apply for an SOS Public Health Practicum Opportunity Are you a graduate student looking for practical experience in public health? Apply for a an SOS Public Health Practicum! Click below to learn more about the SOS Public Health Practicum Program. Research Design & Implementation Team Intern Supervisor & Editor Primary Researcher & Author Lisa Peck, MPH, CPHMs. Peck graduated from the University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) in Incheon with a Master’s in Public Health and her Certification in Public Health (CPH). Ms. Peck also holds a Bachelor’s Degrees in Linguistics and one in International Studies with a Global Health emphasis. Ms. Peck is Korean American and speaks both English and Korean. She has moved between the US and Korea since childhood, finally settling in Korea after graduating from UAC. In 2021 Ms. Peck founded the South of Seoul Public Health Program which focuses on research and initiatives regarding the health and wellness of multinational residents in South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Peck oversees the SOS Public Health Graduate Student Practicum Program which provides mentorship and training for Master’s in Public Health students. The program works with two students a semester with a focus on ethical UX research design, survey development, and initiative implementation. www.southofseoul.net

The post The New South of Seoul Public Health Program appeared first on South of Seoul.

]]>