• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.51-74
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• 2024

Purpose This study investigates the key factors influencing knowledge sharing within Online Health Communities (OHCs), focusing on how different types of support impact sharing general health and specific health knowledge. Design/Methodology/Approach This study adopts a quantitative research design, collecting data from 308 participants across various OHCs through a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire assesses the relationships between informational support, emotional support, altruism, personal innovativeness, and knowledge-sharing behavior. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the researchers systematically analyzed the impact of these factors on the sharing of general health knowledge (such as health advice and lifestyle information) and specific health knowledge (such as medical, technical details, and treatment plans). Findings The analysis revealed that informational support significantly promotes general health and specific health knowledge sharing in OHCs. Emotional support has a notable effect on general health knowledge sharing but is limited in its impact on specific health knowledge sharing, potentially due to the technical nature of the information involved. Altruism positively influences general health knowledge sharing but shows mixed effects on specific health knowledge sharing, possibly due to the complexity and difficulty of the knowledge being shared. Personal innovativeness enhances general health knowledge sharing but may conflict with existing norms in specific health knowledge contexts, leading to variable outcomes.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.291-296
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• 2007

Objectives : To explore the information sources and knowledge on infant vaccinations of pro-vaccination community members and anti-vaccination community members on the internet. Methods : An online survey of 245 parents from three pro-vaccination communities and 92 parents from one anti-vaccination community was conducted from June 7 to June 23, 2006. Results : Parents from pro-vaccination communities usually gained the information regarding vaccination efficacy and risk mainly from healthcare providers (49.8%) and mass media (47.7%). Pro-vaccination community members considered healthcare providers as the most credible sources of information on vaccination, whereas the anti-vaccination community members usually gained their information regarding vaccine efficiency and risk from Internet child-care cafes and online vaccination communities. Parents of the anti-vaccination community considered the internet as the most credible information source (77.6% for efficacy, 94.8% for risk). In addition, the major reason why anti-vaccination community members didn't vaccinate and, will not vaccinate, was concern about possible side effects of the vaccine. The knowledge level on infant vaccination, education and economic status was higher in the anti-vaccination community. Conclusions : On-line communities concerned with vaccination are getting popular. The influence of anti-vaccination parents on the Internet is expected to be high. The government and healthcare providers need to increase their efforts to improve the credibility of information about vaccination. Our findings suggest that online communication regarding vaccinations needs to be considered as a means to increase vaccination rates.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.139-157
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• 2017

This study proposed that a relationship exists between individual emotions and knowledge sharing (KS) intentions in competitive online advice communities. Through statistical analysis of 220 valid questionnaires collected from qualified community members, we found that individuals' intentions to contribute knowledge were enhanced by playfulness and reciprocity, while their intention to seek knowledge from others was facilitated significantly by needs fulfillment, sense of competition, and playfulness. In addition, we found that playfulness was a common factor that affected the intention to seek, as well as to contribute, knowledge. Specifically, playfulness was a highly significant individual emotion that affected both individuals' intention to contribute and seek knowledge, while reciprocity was significant primarily in individuals' intentions to contribute knowledge. Needs fulfillment and sense of competition were significant emotions that affected primarily individuals' intentions to seek knowledge. Interestingly, the factors that affected the intention to seek knowledge were consistent both in all participants and in the high-level fear group. However, in the low-level fear group, playfulness influenced KS intentions.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.154-159
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• 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly impacted all aspects of undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing medical education. Only the focus of medical education-care for patients and communities-has remained an integral part of all of the above sectors. Several challenges have been experienced by learners and educators as the education and training of future doctors has continued in the midst of this crisis, including the cancellation of face-to-face classes and training, reduced patient encounter opportunities, fairness issues in online assessments, disruption of patient interview-based exams, reflections on the role of doctors in society, and mental health-related problems linked to isolation and concerns about infection. In response to these disruptions, educators and institutions have rapidly deployed educational innovations. Schools have adopted educational strategies to overcome these challenges by implementing novel education delivery methods in an online format, providing clinical experiences through simulation or telehealth methods, introducing online assessment tools with formative purposes, encouraging learners' involvement in nonclinical activities such as community service, and making available resources and programs to sustain learners' mental health and wellness. During the COVID-19 pandemic, educators and institutions have faced drastic changes in medical education worldwide. At the same time, the quantitative expansion of online education has caused other problems, such as the lack of human collaboration. The long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical education need to be studied further.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.140-152
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• 2024

Purpose: Social support is essential for postpartum well-being, but little is known about the postpnatal social support preferred by primiparous women. This study aimed to comprehensively understand and describe the meaning of postnatal social support experience in primiparous women. Methods: The participants were seven primiparous women who were within 1 year after childbirth, recruited through purposive and snowball sampling from an online parenting community. The data were collected through in-depth interviews from November 14 to 28, 2022. Participants were interviewed face-to-face or via phone or online platform, according to their choice. Colaizzi's phenomenological qualitative research method was applied to analyze the meaning of the participants' experience. Results: Five theme clusters and fourteen themes were identified from the data. The five theme clusters are as follows: (1) Shortcomings of the childbirth and postpartum care system I learned through my experience; (2) Government policies focusing on childbirth and child-rearing rather than postpartum recovery; (3) Driving force of postpartum recovery: Shared childbirth process; (4) Childcare on my own; and (5) Conflicted between being a stay-at-home mom and a working mom under inadequate maternity protection policies. Conclusion: Despite postpartum support from the government that was perceived as inadequate, first-time mothers regained confidence and motivation for parenting with the help of family, peers, and social networks. First-time mothers need support from professionals and reliable online communities for postpartum recovery and parenting.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.196-206
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify health belief, subjective norms, social stigma, and sense of community affecting COVID-19 preventive behaviors among college students, and provide basic data for the development of preventive programs to improve COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional study design. The study recruited a total of 170 college students, through an online survey from three online communities which are mostly used by college students. Data were collected from July 24 to August 9, 2021. The SPSS 21.0 program was used to analyze the data using simple multiple regression. Results: In simple multiple regression, the perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits and subjective norms were found to have a significant association with COVID-19 preventive behaviors of college students. These variables explained the 55.1% variance in COVID-19 preventive behaviors of college students (p<.001). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and subjective norms were significant factors affecting COVID-19 preventive behaviors of college students. Based on the results of this study, it is expected to develop COVID-19 preventive programs and strategies that increase perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and subjective norms to improve the COVID-19 preventive behaviors of college students.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2023

Menstrual cycle irregularity reflects the reproductive health of women of childbearing age, but studies are scant on women in communities. In this study, we identified factors associated with menstrual cycle irregularity among 884 community women of childbearing age (19-40 years) and confirmed the relationship between menstrual cycle irregularity and depressive symptoms. Data were collected through online or mobile platforms. We noted that 25% of participants had menstrual cycle irregularity. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed that age, irregular eating, and depressive symptoms were associated with menstrual cycle irregularity. After adjusting for confounding variables, participants with depressive symptoms were at a slightly higher risk of menstrual cycle irregularity (odds ratio = 1.078, confidence interval = 1.021-1.139). Additional support be provided for community-living women of childbearing age with depressive symptoms, to improve their reproductive health

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.358-367
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors associated with diabetes management self-efficacy in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Korea. Methods: A total of 173 pregnant women with GDM in Korea were recruited by posting announcements at two Korean online communities focusing on pregnancy and GDM. Participants completed a structured online survey from July to September 2018. Thirteen inappropriate responses were excluded and a total of 160 questionnaires were used in the final analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated and multiple regression with the enter method was done to identify the associations of depressive mood, anxiety, emotional intelligence, and sleep quality with diabetes management self-efficacy. Results: Respondents reported a moderately depressive mood (mean, 10.36), low to moderate anxiety (mean, 41.65), above-average emotional intelligence (mean, 78.04), moderate sleep quality (mean, 42.01), and above-average diabetes management self-efficacy (mean, 52.29). The major factor associated with diabetes management self-efficacy of pregnant women with GDM was emotional intelligence (β=.51, p<.001). Other factors, in descending order of influence, were sleep quality (β=.22, p<.001) and exercise (β=.18, p=.004). Taken together, the aforementioned factors explained 34.6% (F=39.53, p<.001) of the total variance. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that to improve the diabetes management self-efficacy of pregnant women with GDM, it is necessary to develop an education program that can also enhance emotional intelligence, sleep quality, and exercise.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.239-266
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• 2021

This study aimed to analyze the usage behaviors of university students seeking and sharing everyday life information through an online community called Everytime. The study was designed based on everyday life information-seeking and activity theory models, and students from various universities were interviewed using a qualitative research method. Findings showed that Everytime users perceive Everytime as a valuable online community for pursuing and sharing everyday life information. It was primarily used to search for university life information, such as academic calendar, class, and graduation, and health, restaurants, and housing. In the case of the freshmen and sophomores who entered during the COVID-19 pandemic, their dependence on Everytime was high, and juniors and seniors who experienced university life before COVID-19 also responded that Everytime is one of the essential sources of information in university life. Although Everytime provides quick and valuable information, users mentioned the moral hazard as a major factor hindering the active use of Everytime. The results of this study are expected to be used as primary data for informatics research on the online community of college students and the development and operation of online communities for university students.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.89-98
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception and satisfaction of caregivers and parents after being covered by health insurance for light-curing composite resin fillings, and to contribute to the settlement of the expansion and coverage of health insurance. Methods: A survey was conducted on caregivers who visited two dental institutions in the Gyeonggi-do area, and parents who joined internet cafes (online communities) in the Gyeonggi-do area from June 2 to September 2, 2020. 225 responses were collected eventually, and 212 valid responses were used as analysis data. Results: 67.0% of the study subjects were aware of the permanent teeth resin fillings being covered by health insurance and the satisfaction was relatively high (91.5%). There was a statistically significant difference in the perception of permanent tooth resin filling benefits according to the child's oral condition (p=0.025) and the parents' own interest in oral health (p=0.039). Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to increase the accessibility to the initial treatment for dental care of children through active promotion of detailed items of permanent teeth resin fillings.