• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6389-6392
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• 2013

Background: Cervical cancer is one of the ten most frequent cancers in Turkey. We here examined knowledge about cervical cancer in relation to Papanicolaou (Pap) testing among female primary health care workers in Hatay, a city is located in the south of Turkey. Materials and Methods: The study was completed on 261 women healthcare workers who were or had been sexually active and who accepted to participate to the study. The participants gave verbal informed consent and thereafter questionnaires prepared by the investigators were administered by personal interview. Results: Only 30.3% (n=79) of the participants regularly had a gynecologic examination. While 87.4% (n=228) of the participants reported that they had already heard about the Pap smear test, only 45.2% (n=118) had undergone this test. It was determined that had undergone an average of $1.66{\pm}0.89$ times (1-4) within the last five years. Some 56.0% (n=117) of the participants were well informed about the Pap smear test (p<0,001) and 81.1% (n=63) of the participants who regularly had gynecological examinations (p<0,001) had this test. Conclusions: For the early diagnosis of the cervical cancer, regularly having a Pap smear test is crucial. Healthcare workers should also demonstrate sensitivity about this issue. We think that the importance of the issue should be re-highlighted by organizing in-service training for female primary healthcare workers. Studies are warranted to determine the psychosociological factors that cause individuals to not have the test.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.170-175
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• 2018

Purpose: Lactose intolerance (LI) is perceived to be frequent in Asia and has been reported to have considerable impact on dietary intake, nutritional status and the quality of life. We aimed to gather information from healthcare professionals on the perceived incidence, diagnosis and management of LI in 1 to 5 year old children in Southeast Asia. Methods: An anonymous electronic survey was sent randomly among healthcare professionals registered in the database of the pediatric societies in Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore between June and October 2016. Results: In total, 259 health care professionals responded of which 45.5% (n=118) were from Thailand, 37.4% (n=97) from Indonesia and 16.9% (n=44) from Singapore. Of the participants who responded (n=248), primary LI prevalence among children 1 to 3 years of age was estimated to be less than 5% by 56.8%. However, about 18.9% (n=47) answered they did not know/unsure. Regarding secondary LI, 61.6% of respondents (n=153) estimated the prevalence to be less than 15%. But again, 10.8% (n=27) answered they did not know or unsure. Rotavirus gastroenteritis was ranked as the top cause for secondary LI. There was considerable heterogeneity in the diagnostic methods used. The majority of respondents (75%) recommended lactose-free milk to manage primary and secondary LI. Conclusion: More education/training of pediatricians on this topic and further epidemiological studies using a more systematic approach are required.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 2021

Objectives: This study examined demographic factors hampering access to healthcare at hospitals and suggests policy approaches to improve healthcare management in Thailand. Methods: The data for the study were drawn from a health and welfare survey conducted by the National Statistical Office of Thailand in 2017. The population-based health and welfare survey was systematically carried out by skilled interviewers, who polled 21 519 384 individuals. The independent variables related to demographic data (age, sex, religion, marital status, education, occupation, and area of residence), chronic diseases, and health insurance coverage. The dependent variable was the degree of access to healthcare. Multiple logistic regression analysis was subsequently performed on the variables found to be significant in the univariate analysis. Results: Only 2.5% of the population did not visit a hospital when necessary for outpatient-department treatment, hospitalization, or the provision of oral care. The primary reasons people gave for not availing themselves of the services offered by government hospitals when they were ill were-in descending order of frequency-insufficient time to seek care, long hospital queues, travel inconvenience, a lack of hospital beds, unavailability of a dentist, not having someone to accompany them, and being unable to pay for the transportation costs. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that failure to access the health services provided at hospitals was associated with demographic, educational, occupational, health welfare, and geographic factors. Conclusions: Accessibility depends not only on health and welfare benefit coverage, but also on socioeconomic factors and the degree of convenience associated with visiting a hospital.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2549-2554
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• 2016

Background: Early detection remains the cornerstone of breast cancer control in terms of outcome and survival. Thus far the only breast cancer screening method proven effective is mammography. The awareness of female health care workers (HCW) about breast cancer prevention is of vital importance, as their beliefs and behavior may have a major impact on other women. This study was designed to assess mammography screening uptake among female healthcare workers at primary healthcare centers, and to identify the primary motivators and barriers that affect uptake results. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study design was used to assess mammography screening by 299 female healthcare workers who completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed demographics, screening uptake, motivators and barriers. Results: The mean age was 46 years (within age of risk). The majority (95.1%) demonstrated adequate knowledge about breast cancer and mammography screening and 50% of the participants reported having at least one mammogram; however only 21% of them had regularly scheduled mammograms. The most frequent reported motivator was the perceived benefit that early detection of breast cancer is important for its management (89.6%), followed by the belief that mammography can detect breast cancer before its symptoms appear (84.4%). On the other hand, the most frequent barrier reported was being busy (46.7%), followed by the lack of perceived susceptibility (41.5%). Conclusions: Mammography screening was found to be sub-optimal in a population of HCW's with 50 % stating that they received a mammogram at least once, and a minority reported regular screening. There is a pressing need for educational programs aimed at removing the barriers that limit compliance with recommendations for mammography screening, and to emphasize the importance of early detection in breast cancer treatment. Ensuring the availability and accessibility of screening services, particularly for healthcare workers within their work settings are other important factors that would improve the acceptance and compliance for mammography screening programs.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.457-492
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• 2011

The primary goal of our study was to investigate the vast transformations of the healthcare sector in Korea during the past half century. Official data reported in the Korean statistical yearbooks and secondary data suggested by previous studies were used for institutional analysis of healthcare environment. Information on hospital released by the Korean Hospital Association was also used for ecological analysis. Institutional analysis: We identified three distinctive eras based primarily on changes in institutional logics, institutional actors, and governance structures : 'professional dominance (1952-1976)', 'government involvement (1977-1999)', and 'coexistence of competing institutional logics (2000-present)'. During the first era, physician association supported by Korean government comprised the primary governance regime. During the second era, the government became a major actor as a regulator and purchaser in health care sector, introducing of the 'mandatory national health insurance'. During the third era, making healthcare system sustainable and providing health care efficiently was overarching goals although it was hard to find a single central logic dominating this period. Ecological analysis: Evidence from the analysis of hospital population suggested that the expansion of the bed capacity was made from different processes, shifting from the ecological process in 1980s to the adaptive process in 1990s. And Korean hospitals had changed following both 'directional process' and 'stabilizing process' over time. Based on our results, we concluded that more studies to compare more organizational populations other than hospitals and to empirically test the effects of institutional changes on organizational changes and vice-versa, need to be conducted.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.443-451
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• 2021

This study is a qualitative research using focus group interviews with disabled people and their families to understand the unmet healthcare needs perceived themselves and to analyze the experiences of 'The 2^nd pilot project for primary care for people with disabilities', from 9 to 17 February 2021. The subjects of the study was the disabled who can express their opinions (group 1) or the guardians of the subjects who can not express their opinions (group 2). The participants were interviewed for about 100 minutes for each group once or twice. As a result of this study, the factors regarding unmet healthcare needs were extracted in subject, provider, institutional, and socio-cultural aspects. Further, the factors resolved and unresolved by the pilot project were extracted. Based on the results, we can recommend that the expanded application to the visiting service, inclusion of doctors from various departments, multidisciplinary approach including physical or occupational therapists, minimizing disconnection among the hospitals and healthcare centers, improvement of service quality by collecting opinions from people with disabilities, and more publicity activities should be applied.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.249-256
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• 2017

In this study, we evaluated the potential of 70% ethanol extract from Persicaria nepalensis (PNE) as a cosmetic ingredient by primary skin irritation, ocular irritation, and maximization tests for delayed hypersensitivity in New Zealand white rabbits and Hartley guinea pig. Skin safety study was performed to evaluate the potential toxicity of PNE using the primary irritation test. In the primary irritation test, 50% PNE was applied to the skin, and no adverse reactions such as erythema and edema were observed at the intact skin sites. Therefore, PNE was classified as a practically non-irritating material based on a primary irritation index of "0.0.". In the ocular irritation test, the 50% PNE applied did not show any adverse reactions in the different parts of rabbit eyes, including the cornea, iris, and conjunctiva. Thus, PNE was classified as a practically non-irritating material based on an acute ocular irritation index of "0.0.". Skin sensitization was tested by the Guinea Pig Maximization Test (GPMT) and Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA) using an intradermal injection of 10% PNE. Edema and erythema were not observed 24 and 48 h after the topical application of PNE in skin sensitization test, which exhibited a sensitization score of "0.0.". Therefore, it can be suggested that P. nepalensis could be used as potential candidates for cosmoceutical ingredients, without any major side effects.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.36 no.4B
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• pp.362-370
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• 2011

The current healthcare information systems field demand for healthcare construction and operation of various systems. Therefore, the budget is constantly increasing for information systems. But the current system have been lack of data that provide real-time issues. Because standardization and real-time networks are not configured. In this paper, proposed web services-based integration of information systems about healthcare sector. Web Services as the primary means to pursue integration SOA(Service Oriented Architecture). SOA could add new requirements without significantly altering the existing system. And SOA is an important model that can quickly adapt to the environment in healthcare field of changing rapidly. In this paper, the healthcare sector based on SOA design and implement an integrated information system. The integrated information system is proving to be a suitable model based on web service platform for healthcare data and service integration.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.180-184
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• 2011

Letrozole is a drug used in the treatment of postmenopausal women with breast and ovarian tumours. There is no evidence in the literature indicating its use in treating gastric cancer. We present a 68 year old lady admitted from the emergency department with weight loss, malaise and anaemia. Investigations confirmed the presence of two different primary tumours in the left breast and the stomach. Following that this patient with oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer and oestrogen receptor negative gastric cancer was treated with letrozole for her breast cancer followed by a gastric resection. Independent histology by two pathologists pre-operatively diagnosed gastric adenocarcinoma. Post-operatively, independent analysis of the resected stomach, omentum and lymph nodes revealed no evidence of gastric cancer. Therefore we conclude that there is a possibility of letrozole having an effect on gastric cancer. Further studies are needed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5233-5235
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• 2015

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Malaysia. Therefore, it is highly important for the public to be educated on breast cancer and to know the steps to detect it early on. Healthcare providers are in the prime position to provide such education to the public due to their high knowledge regarding health and their roles in healthcare. The present systematic review involved studies conducted in recent years to analyze the knowledge, attitudes and behavior of Malaysian healthcare providers regarding breast cancer, in attempts to obtain an overall picture of how well equipped our healthcare providers are to provide optimal breast cancer education, and to see their perceptions and actual involvement in said education. The systematic review was conducted via a primary search of various databases and journal websites, and a secondary search of references used by eligible studies. Criteria for eligibility included being published from the year 2008 till present, being conducted in Malaysia, and being written in the English language. A total of two studies were eligible for this review. Findings show that Malaysian future and current healthcare providers have moderate knowledge on breast cancer, have a positive towards involvement of breast cancer education, but have poor actual involvement.