KIHASA has added to its publications the following five research monographs: “Trends and Challenges in Well-Dying: Preparing for the Future” and “Development of a Household Projection Model.”

1. Trends and Challenges in Well-Dying: Preparing for the Future by Shin Jiyoung

The components of a 'good death' can include hospice and end-of-life care, as well as related services such as comprehensive end-of-life care, nursing care, psychological support and counseling for patients and their families. While the definition of a good death may vary depending on individual values, various social systems exist to help people prepare for a good death at the end of life. Due to the broad scope of these systems, previous studies have often focused on one or two systems to identify specific problems. Relatively few studies have comprehensively examined the recently implemented well-dying systems, analyzed their interconnections and limitations, and proposed directions for related policies. In addition, there is a need for research to identify the factors that influence individuals' opinions on what constitutes a good death and to propose improvements to well-dying policies. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the current status of well-dying policies in Korea and abroad, identify factors influencing individuals' views on various well-dying-related elements such as hospice and end-of-life care issues, and propose directions for improving well-dying policies in Korea by collecting opinions from domestic and international experts.

2. Development of a Household Projection Model by Oh Jinho

This study develops a household projection model to analyze future changes in household structure amid rapid aging and increasing single-person households in Korea. The model consists of three main modules: marital status-specific population projection, household headship rate projection, and household size and type composition projection. Each module is designed independently to enable flexible updates and methodological improvements. The model employs the household headship rate method, accounting for marital status, which was identified as most suitable for Korea's current circumstances after reviewing various projection methodologies. The model's reliability was verified through comparison with Statistics Korea's projections, showing similar trends in key indicators such as total household numbers, average household size, and the proportion of single-person households. The significance of this study lies in providing a practical tool for health and welfare policy research that can analyze various policy scenarios through modularization. While imitations exist in initial data and methodology, the model provides a foundation for future development, particularly in anticipation of broader use of registered census data.

3. Research on How to Improve Healthcare Services in Depopulated Areas by Kim Dongjin

Despite the designation of depopulated areas and related policy responses, local population decline continues to intensify, driven by various demographic dynamics. In most depopulated areas, population decline began in the early 2000s or even earlier, primarily due to social factors. Therefore, policy responses must shift focus from merely addressing declining birthrates to preventing population outflows and attracting new residents. A key driver of rural depopulation is the lack of adequate healthcare infrastructure and services. Unmet healthcare needs and insufficient services can contribute to out-migration and local population aging, creating a vicious cycle: declining populations reduce local healthcare demands, leading to the closure of private healthcare facilities, which further exacerbates rural population decline. To improve healthcare services in depopulated areas, this study suggests several policy options. These include strengthening public healthcare institutions, improving support systems for depopulated areas, securing and efficiently utilizing medical personnel in depopulated areas, and implementing regionalization measures to improve healthcare access. The policy alternatives proposed in this study should be combined and implemented in a modular format depending on the demographic and healthcare characteristics and policy environment of the region.

4. Communicating Strategies for Adapting to the Health Impacts of the Climate Crisis by Kim Hyeyun

In the context of the prevailing climate crisis, public awareness of climate change and its health impacts remains limited. This limited awareness has not translated into health adaptation behaviors. Consequently, current communication efforts for health adaptation, as promoted in domestic policies, fail to address people's needs. Therefore, this study aims to propose communication strategies that increase awareness of the health impacts of climate change and enhance health adaptation capacity by identifying the limitations and needs of communication efforts related to health adaptation to the climate crisis.

5. Analysis of the Relationship between Community Change and Community Welfare Policy by Kim Ka-Hee

Over the past few decades, local governments have transitioned from being mere administrative service providers to becoming key players in ensuring the overall well-being of their communities. Now, they no longer simply implement central government instructions but take the lead in addressing various economic, cultural, and physical well-being issues. These changes have greatly impacted the local government's position as the core of community leadership and governance. Relations between central and local governments have shifted from traditional hierarchical models to more interdependent and cooperative ones. However, in Korea, the central government's strong tendency toward centralization limits the autonomy of local governments. As a result, structural problems arise that hinder the effective establishment of community welfare policies by limiting local governments' capacity to develop policies tailored to local characteristics. This study originates from a recognition that, while establishing community welfare policies responsive to various social issues and the needs of local residents emerging from community changes is an important responsibility of local governments, many municipalities’ welfare policies fail to adequately reflect community changes and the specific needs of residents. To address this gap, the study examines the relationship between community changes and community welfare policies, aiming to propose future directions for developing community welfare policies.