Research in Community and Public Health Nursing

Original Articles

[English] Structural Barriers and Strategic Directions for the Professional Role of Local Government Public Health Nurses in Integrated Community Care: A Qualitative Study: Han Nah Park, Hye Jin Nam, Sujin Lee; Res Community Public Health Nurs. 2026;37(1):81-89. Published online March 31, 2026; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12799/rcphn.2025.01417

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Abstract PDF: Purpose
Local government public health nurses (LG PHNs) in South Korea deliver integrated community health and welfare services. However, their professional identity is often challenged within welfare-centered administrative structures, and the structural barriers to their role performance have not been fully explored.
Methods
An exploratory qualitative study using focus group interviews was conducted. Seven LG PHNs from various local government divisions participated. Data were analyzed thematically to identify key challenges in role performance.
Results
Three main themes emerged: (1) Systemic unreadiness and structural support gaps in deployment, characterized by inadequate orientation and ambiguous role boundaries resulting from rapid policy implementation; (2) Challenges in professional identity negotiation within integrated welfare-health frameworks, where the underutilization of nursing expertise and overlapping responsibilities within administrative settings led to role confusion and professional marginalization; and (3) Institutional isolation and absence of clinical governance, resulting from a lack of systematic clinical supervision and institutional backing. Participants reported significant difficulty prioritizing specialized nursing tasks due to limited resources and structural hierarchies.
Conclusion
LG PHNs’ effectiveness is hindered by fundamental structural limitations and governance gaps. To prepare for the 2026 nationwide implementation of integrated care, a transition toward nursing-led care management is essential. Policy measures should include establishing a legal role framework, implementing dual-reporting systems for clinical supervision, and promoting inter-professional education (IPE) to empower LG PHNs as proactive community health leaders.

[English] Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms among Multicultural Middle and High School Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study Using Latent Class Growth Model: Sujin Lee, Soo Jin Lee, Hyanglan Kim; Res Community Public Health Nurs. 2024;35(4):401-414. Published online December 30, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12799/rcphn.2024.00696

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4 Citations

Purpose
This study aimed to identify latent classifications based on trajectories of change in depressive symptoms among multicultural adolescents in middle and high school and to identify factors that influence classification.
Methods
This study used six time-point data from the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS) conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute (NYPI). We longitudinally analyzed data from 2014 to 2019, which corresponds to the participants' middle and high school years. Latent Growth Curve Modeling (LGCM) was used to analyze the depressive developmental trajectories of multicultural youth in middle and high school. Latent Class Growth Modeling (LCGM) was used to determine the number and shape of latent classes according to the type of depression among multicultural adolescents. We applied multinomial logistics regression analysis to explore the predictors of each class.
Results
A model with three latent classes was identified: (1) low-decreasing class (intercept=13.34, slope=-0.07, 37.9%), (2) moderate-increasing class (intercept=17.76, slope=0.41, 47.6%), (3) high-increasing class (intercept=23.22, slope=0.44, 14.5%). Multinomial logistic regression showed multicultural adolescents who were male, experienced high acculturative stress and social withdrawal, and had low self-esteem, life satisfaction, and family support tended to belong to either the moderate-increasing or high-increasing class.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that preliminary assessments of gender, acculturation stress, self-esteem, life satisfaction, social withdrawal, and family support among multicultural adolescents may be valuable for developing tailored mental health programs.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Sex-Specific Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms among Multicultural Adolescents: Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Protective Factors
Jun Li, Chi Yang
Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
National Identity and Self-Rated Health Trajectories Among Multicultural Adolescents in Korea: A Piecewise Latent Growth Model
You-Jung Choi
Research in Community and Public Health Nursing.2026; 37: 27. CrossRef
Patterns of Depression Trajectories and Acculturation Strategies Among Multicultural Adolescents: A 9-Year Longitudinal Study in South Korea
Changmin Yoo
International Journal of Social Psychiatry.2026; 72(6): 1757. CrossRef
Perceived Neglectful Parenting and Depressive Symptoms in Multicultural Adolescents: Bicultural Acceptance and Withdrawal as Mediators
Sangmi Lee
Family Relations.2026;[Epub] CrossRef

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