• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.30-34
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• 2021

[Purpose] Many studies have observed a high prevalence of erectile dysfunction among individuals performing physical activity in less leisure-time. However, this relationship in patients with type 2 diabetic patients is not well studied. In exposure outcome studies with ordinal outcome variables, investigators often try to make the outcome variable dichotomous and lose information by collapsing categories. Several statistical models have been developed to make full use of all information in ordinal response data, but they have not been widely used in public health research. In this paper, we discuss the application of two statistical models to determine the association of physical inactivity with erectile dysfunction among patients with type 2 diabetes. [Methods] A total of 204 married men aged 20-60 years with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes at the outpatient unit of the Department of Endocrinology at PSG hospitals during the months of May and June 2019 were studied. We examined the association between physical inactivity and erectile dysfunction using proportional odds ordinal logistic regression models and continuation ratio models. [Results] The proportional odds model revealed that patients with diabetes who perform leisure time physical activity for over 40 minutes per day have reduced odds of erectile dysfunction (odds ratio=0.38) across the severity categories of erectile dysfunction after adjusting for age and duration of diabetes. [Conclusion] The present study suggests that physical inactivity has a negative impact on erectile function. We observed that the simple logistic regression model had only 75% efficiency compared to the proportional odds model used here; hence, more valid estimates were obtained here.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.173-184
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• 2022

Purpose : The purpose of this study was two-fold: to identify the effect of dental hygienist's self-determination motivation on their job engagement and to analyze the moderating effect of compensation satisfaction that affect the relevance. Methods : Data were collected using a structured self-report questionnaire administered to 260 dental hygienists working in dental hospitals and clinics in Busan, South Korea. These were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26.0 and SPSS Process Macro 3.5. A frequency analysis, including the respondents' general characteristics, frequency, percentages, and standard deviations, was performed. A regression analysis was also performed using SPSS Process Macro to verify the moderating effect of compensation satisfaction in the effect of self-determination motivation on job engagement. Results : The self-determination motivation of the dental hygienists had a statistically significant positive effect on their job engagement, which was the dependent variable. Higher intangible compensation satisfaction levels led to a stronger effect of intrinsic motivation but a weaker effect of extrinsic motivation on job engagement. Moreover, higher tangible compensation satisfaction levels strengthened the effect of intrinsic motivation on job engagement. Conclusion : Recently, the demand for oral health care has been increasing, Competition in the dental medical service market warrants, high-quality dental services based on accurate diagnosis and treatment. In this context, dental hygienists' job engagement must be improved. For this purpose, increasing the satisfaction of dental hygienists with self-determination motivation and appropriate compensation is effective. In addition, attention must be paid to the moderating effect of compensation satisfaction on the relationship between intrinsic motivation and job engagement. On the basis of the implications of this study, the results can be used as basic data for improving dental hygienists' welfare system and manpower management.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.255-262
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• 2022

In this study, by analyzing the examination time for each procedure, the appropriate workload of radiologic technologist is analyzed based on the actual examination time in the current clinical setting by comparing with the examination time in the radiology field setting of the health insurance review and assessment service. In addition, this result is introduced into the calculation of relate value units; it was attempted to provide accurate and objective evidence in the field of radiology. From May 2020 to December 2021, the study retrospectively investigated the examination times recorded in the electronic medical record and picture archiving and communication system at 5 tertiary general hospitals and 1 general hospital. The total of 16 examination parts are applied in this study, including the head, sinuses, chest, ribs, abdomen, pelvis, cervical, thoracic, lumbar, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, femur, knee, and ankle. The minimum number of images that could be obtained per radiation generator was 3.6 images for one hour, and the maximum was 6.4 images. When 50% median of procedure time is calculated, the minimum number of images that could be obtained was 16.7 images and maximum was 35.3 images; in addition, minimum examination time is 1.7 minutes, and maximum time is 3.6 minutes. In conclusion, it is judged that there will be insufficient explanation time for basic infection instructions such as hand hygiene during the examinations in current clinical practice. It is believed that radiologic technologists will contribute to providing higher-quality of radiation examination services to the public by complying with guidelines for work and setting appropriate workload on their own.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.7-15
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• 2023

Purpose: This study was conducted with the aim of presenting spatial planning directions for evacuation spaces based on an analysis of the performance of horizontal evacuation during the early stages of fire incidents in a geriatric hospital. Methods: Based on a review of previous studies, the research model was designed by establishing occupancy conditions, evacuation, and fire scenarios. The analysis model was developed by considering vulnerable areas in terms of evacuation movement and analyzing the results of evacuation performance. Furthermore, the study analyzed the improvement in evacuation performance by arranging refuge areas. Results: The results of the study are as follows. Firstly, vulnerability spots were identified in terms of evacuation performance by schematizing Required Safe Egress Time, Available Safe Egress Time, and their differences. Secondly, the Required Safe Egress Time in the adjacent public spaces along the escape routes of occupants was found to be higher compared to the Available Safe Egress Time. Thirdly, the results of the correlation analysis between the difference in Available Safe Egress Time and Required Safe Egress Time during the early stages of a fire, as well as their constituent factors, demonstrated that user congestion is a more significant factor in compromising evacuation safety than the physical changes in the fire condition. Fourthly, the analysis of evacuation time was conducted by designating refuge areas where occupants can evacuate within a sufficient timeframe. This led to a decrease in the Required Safe Egress Time. Implications: This study is expected to be used as data on the direction of evacuation space planning to improve the evacuation performance of Geriatric Hospital.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the shapes and colors of emergency exit symbols, magnetic field warning symbols, and radiation zone symbols used in hospitals for staff and patient safety and their effects on cognitive memory. The hippocampal region's signal intensity(SI) was analyzed using fMRI. The Symbol 2 (1.75±0.54) with a green background had the highest signal intensity (SI) for emergency exits, according to the findings. The black symbol 2 (1.60±0.51) with a yellow background had the highest signal intensity (SI) for the magnetic field warning symbol, followed by the black symbol 1 (1.59±0.65) with an orange background. The black symbol 2 (1.59±0.59) with a yellow background and the black symbol 3 (1.58±0.52) with an orange background had the low signal intensity with slight differences as for the radiation zone symbols. In conclusion, it was determined that the signal intensity of the black symbol with a yellow background was the highest in the magnetic field area and radiation area. This implies that symbols with a high signal intensity (SI) must be utilized intensively. To ensure that the correct meaning of the symbols is communicated in the future, they must also be utilized regularly and continually in disaster safety education.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1091-1100
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• 2023

Human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 are the major causes of cervical lesions and are associated with 71% of cervical cancer cases globally. However, public health infrastructures to support cervical cancer screening may be unavailable to women in low-resource areas. Therefore, sensitive, convenient, and cost-efficient diagnostic methods are required for the detection of HPV16/18. Here, we designed two novel methods, real-time ERA and ERA-LFD, based on enzymatic recombinase amplification (ERA) for quick point-of-care identification of the HPV E6/E7 genes. The entire detection process could be completed within 25 min at a constant low temperature (35-43℃), and the results of the combined methods could be present as the amplification curves or the bands presented on dipsticks and directly interpreted with the naked eye. The ERA assays evaluated using standard plasmids carrying the E6/E7 genes and clinical samples exhibited excellent specificity, as no cross-reaction with other common HPV types was observed. The detection limits of our ERA assays were 10⁰ and 10¹ copies/µl for HPV16 and 18 respectively, which were comparable to those of the real-time PCR assay. Assessment of the clinical performance of the ERA assays using 114 cervical tissue samples demonstrated that they are highly consistent with real-time PCR, the gold standard for HPV detection. This study demonstrated that ERA-based assays possess excellent sensitivity, specificity, and repeatability for HPV16 and HPV18 detection with great potential to become robust diagnostic tools in local hospitals and field studies.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.64-74
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• 2024

Purpose: Despite the recent increased number of nosocomial measles, the outbreak investigation reports are not usually standardized, thus posing unclear understanding of magnitude of its public health burden. We used the Outbreak Reports and Intervention Studies of Nosocomial Infection (ORION) statement, to compare nosocomial outbreaks and synthesize evidence to prevent hospital transmission of measles. Methods: A PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane search in English, using the medical subject headings "measles," "nosocomial," "hospital," and "healthcare," was performed. We evaluated the quality of outbreak reports of nosocomial measles infection worldwide using the ORION statement findings and recommendations. Results: We reviewed 24 studies in accordance to the ORION statement. Measles transmission in healthcare settings is a significant burden on the morbidity, mortality, and economy of measles. The healthcare workers' booster vaccination guidelines should be monitored and enhanced during the post-elimination period of measles. The outcomes of infections must be explicit for outbreak reports. Conclusions: This study identified the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of nosocomial measles infections and provided strong evidence for infection control policies in hospitals.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2024

Background: Recognizing the seriousness of the misuse and abuse of medical narcotics, the South Korean government introduced the world's first narcotic management system, the Narcotics Information Management System (NIMS). This study aimed to explore the recent one-year opioid prescribing patterns in South Korea using the NIMS database. Methods: This study analyzed opioid prescription records in South Korea for the year 2022, utilizing the dispensing/administration dataset provided by NIMS. Public data from the Korean Statistical Information Service were also utilized to explore prescription trends over the past four years. The examination covered 16 different opioid analgesics, assessed by the total number of units prescribed based on routes of administration, type of institutions, and patients' sex and age group. Additionally, the disposal rate for each ingredient was computed. Results: In total, 206,941 records of 87,792,968 opioid analgesic units were analyzed. Recently, the overall quantity of prescribed opioid analgesic units has remained relatively stable. The most prescribed ingredient was oral oxycodone, followed by tapentadol and sublingual fentanyl. Tertiary hospitals had the highest number of dispensed units (49.4%), followed by community pharmacies (40.2%). The highest number of prescribed units was attributed to male patients in their 60s. The disposal rates of the oral and transdermal formulations were less than 0.1%. Conclusions: Opioid prescription in South Korea features a high proportion of oral formulations, tertiary hospital administration, pharmacy dispensing, and elderly patients. Sustained education and surveillance of patients and healthcare providers is required.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.421-425
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• 2012

Cancer can be a major cause of poverty. This may be due either to the costs of treating and managing the illness as well as its impact upon people's ability to work. This is a concern that particularly affects countries that lack comprehensive social health insurance systems and other types of social safety nets. The ACTION study is a longitudinal cohort study of 10,000 hospital patients with a first time diagnosis of cancer. It aims to assess the impact of cancer on the economic circumstances of patients and their households, patients' quality of life, costs of treatment and survival. Patients will be followed throughout the first year after their cancer diagnosis, with interviews conducted at baseline (after diagnosis), three and 12 months. A cross-section of public and private hospitals as well as cancer centers across eight member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will invite patients to participate. The primary outcome is incidence of financial catastrophe following treatment for cancer, defined as out-of-pocket health care expenditure at 12 months exceeding 30% of household income. Secondary outcomes include illness induced poverty, quality of life, psychological distress, economic hardship, survival and disease status. The findings can raise awareness of the extent of the cancer problem in South East Asia and its breadth in terms of its implications for households and the communities in which cancer patients live, identify priorities for further research and catalyze political action to put in place effective cancer control policies.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.350-360
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was conducted to identify factors that affect medical service performance in rural health sub-centers and to develop a method to improve health sub-center performance that takes advantage of these insights. Methods: This study included 1,242 South Korean health sub-centers that had been in operation at least since December 31, 2009 as units of analysis. After adjusting for population differences between areas, the performance of medical service among health sub-centers was analyzed according to medical services performed per person. We performed t-tests, ANOVA, Scheffe's tests and multiple regression analyses. Results: The following were significant variables affecting the medical service performance of rural health sub-centers: number of hospitals and clinics, presence of community health practitioner posts, distance from health sub-centers to main public health centers, distance from health sub-centers to the nearest emergency medical facilities, and proportion of the local population aged 65 and over. In contrast, the proportion of the local population between ages 0-4 and the placement of public health doctors that had already completed their internship were not significant variables. Conclusions: The medical service performance of health sub-centers located in rural areas is significantly affected by local population and health care environment characteristics, and therefore, it is imperative to develop strategies to provide differentiated service based on these factors.