• Health Policy and Management
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.304-316
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• 2022

Background: As prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission in healthcare settings has become a critical component in its effective management, COVID-19 specific infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines were developed and implemented by numerous countries. Although largely based on the current evidence-base, guidelines show much heterogeneity, as they are influenced by respective health system capacities, epidemiological risk, and socioeconomic status. This study aims to analyze the variations and concurrences of these guidelines to draw policy implications for COVID-19 response and future guidelines development. Methods: The contents of the COVID-19 IPC guidelines were analyzed using the categories and codes developed based on "World Health Organization guidelines on core components." Data analysis involved reviewing, appraising and synthesizing data from guidelines, which were then arranged into categories and codes. Selection of countries was based on the country income level, availability of COVID-19 specific IPC guideline developed at a national or district level. Results: The guidelines particularly agreed on IPC measures regarding application of standard precautions and providing information to patients and visitors, monitoring and audit of IPC activities and staff illnesses, and management of built environment/equipments. The guidelines showed considerable differences in certain components, such as workplace safety measures and criteria for discontinuation of precautions. Several guidelines also contained unique features which enabled a more systematic response to COVID-19. Conclusion: The guidelines generally complied with the current evidence-based COVID-19 management but also revealed variances stemming from differences in local health system capacity. Several unique features should be considered for benchmark in future guidelines development.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.779-793
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to report on the cases and prescriptions of non-face-to-face care performed to alleviate COVID-19 symptoms and to present their results. Methods: This study was conducted on 63 COVID-19 patients who visited the Ilsan Hamsoa Korean Medicine Clinic from January 24 to June 11, 2022. We retrospectively analyzed all 63 patient charts and amassed COVID-19-related symptoms and their changes according to clinical characteristics and outcomes. Results: All 63 COVID-19 patients complained of symptoms, such as coughing, sore throat, sputum, fever, headache, myalgia, rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, postnasal drip, and voice change. In total, 30 patients were administered Eunma-san, 6 patients were administered Eungyo-san plus Mahaenggamseok-tang, 10 patients were administered Galgeunhaegi-tang, 7 patients were administered Eungyo-san, 6 patients were administered Maekmundong-tang, and 4 patients were administered Jugyeopseoggo-tang. Improvements in symptoms due to herbal medicine included the disappearance of COVID-19 fever (22 cases) within 3.59±4.2 days, sore throat (32 cases) within 4.37±2.98 days, and cough (36 cases) within 4.86±3.1 days. Conclusion: Various herbal medicine prescriptions were effective COVID-19 treatments, indicating that herbal medicines may be alternative treatment options for COVID-19. However, the evidence should be supplemented with better designed prospective research on individual prescriptions.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.175-184
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• 2022

This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 anxiety on dietary lifestyle and the effect of different dietary lifestyle on the intention to use drone food delivery services. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 356 Chinese consumers aware of drone food delivery services. Results show that First, COVID-19 anxiety significantly impacted dietary lifestyle, including health pursuit, safety pursuit, and convenience pursuit. Second, the dietary lifestyle of health pursuit, fashion pursuit, and convenience pursuit positively affected service perceptions, including perceived safety and perceived rapidity, perceived compatibility. The dietary lifestyle of taste pursuit positively associated with safety of drone food delivery service, while the dietary lifestyle of safety pursuit positively related to safety and rapidity of drone food delivery services. Third, the perceptions related to security, rapidity, and compatibility of drone food delivery services enhanced service usage intention. Results show that COVID-19 anxiety was positively associated with dietary lifestyle, influencing consumer attitudes toward drone food delivery services.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) not only targets the respiratory system but also triggers a cytokine storm and a series of complications, such as gastrointestinal problems, acute kidney injury, and myocardial ischemia. The use of natural products has been utilized to ease the symptoms of COVID-19, and in some cases, to strengthen the immune system against COVID-19. Natural products are readily available and have been regularly consumed for various health benefits. COVID-19 has been reported to be associated with the risk of thromboembolism and deep vein thrombosis. These thrombotic complications often affects mortality and morbidity. Panax ginseng, which has been widely consumed for its various health benefits has also been reported for its therapeutic effects against cardiovascular disease, thrombosis and platelet aggregation. In this review, we propose that P. ginseng can be consumed as a supplementation against the various associated complications of COVID-19, especially against thrombosis. We utilized the network pharmacology approach to validate the potential therapeutic properties of P. ginseng against COVID-19 mediated thrombosis, the coagulation pathway and platelet aggregation. Additionally, we aimed to investigate the roles of P. ginseng against COVID-19 with the involvement of platelet-leukocyte aggregates in relation to immunity-related responses in COVID-19.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.171-179
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• 2022

Background: In this study, we investigated the changes and factors that affect daily health behaviors due to COVID-19 among adolescents. We intend to provide basic data so that a systematic and comprehensive health education program that includes physical and oral health can be made. Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis of the from the 2019 and 2020 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. A final sample of 112,251 participants was anlayzed using chi-square test, and ordinal logistic regression. Results: In the case of tooth brushing, the frequency of 'never' increased in most general characteristics compared to before COVID-19. In the case of handwashing, it was found that handwashing behavior increased (increased) after COVID-19 compared to before COVID-19. As a result of confirming the factors affecting tooth brushing behavior before and after COVID-19, it was found that girls brushed teeth 2.2 times more regularly after lunch than boys. As a result of adjusting all other factors, regular tooth brushing behavior after COVID-19 was reduced by 0.79 times compared to before COVID-19. Conclusion: It is judged that it is necessary to operate a comprehensive health management program in the school so that the most basic tooth brushing for oral health and handwashing for health can become a habit. In addition, by confirming the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on handwashing and tooth brushing behavior through this study, it is expected to be used in the development of policy data such as raising awareness of brushing and improving behaviors applicable in the current and upcoming new pandemic situations.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2022

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk area in 2020 has caused difficulties in the daily life and hospital care of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). We detected an increase in blood sugar levels in these children and the number of patients hospitalized with more severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) compared to those before COVID-19. Methods: This single-center study was conducted at Kyungpook National University Children's Hospital. The following patient groups were included; 45 returning patients diagnosed with T1DM and undergoing insulin treatment for more than 2 years and 20 patients newly diagnosed with T1DM before and after COVID-19 were selected by age matching. Returning patients before and after the outbreak were selected, and changes in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were retrospectively reviewed. The HbA1c levels and severity of symptoms in newly diagnosed patients during hospitalization were examined. Results: HbA1c levels in returning patients with T1DM were significantly increased after COVID-19 (before, 7.70%±1.38% vs. after, 8.30%±2.05%; p=0.012). There were 10 and 10 newly diagnosed patients before and after COVID-19, respectively. The proportion of patients with drowsiness and dyspnea at the time of admission was higher after COVID-19 than before (before, 2 of 10 vs. after, 4 of 10). The HbA1c levels were higher in newly diagnosed patients hospitalized after COVID-19 than before (before, 11.15% vs. after, 13.60%; p=0.036). Conclusion: Due to COVID-19 in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk area, there was an increase in blood glucose levels in children with T1DM and in the incidence of severe DKA in newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus patients.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.1-23
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• 2022

This study is about the change in the importance of shopping value for beauty products of social commerce due to the social crisis or risk caused by COVID-19. It was analyzed focusing on whether the importance of shopping value changed before and after COVID-19. We checked the importance of shopping value after COVID-19 through the AHP results of previous papers before COVID-19, and analyzed the importance by adding variables of risk reduction behavior and delivery convenience according to the situation of COVID-19. The AHP method was used to check the change in the importance of shopping value before and after COVID-19, and the study was conducted using 48 data. The results were as follows. As for the importance of shopping value of social commerce beauty products, it was ranked in the order of time convenience, convenience of delivery, third-ranked trust business operators, fourth-ranked economic aspects, fifth-ranked decision support, sixth-ranked risk reduction behavior, and seventh-ranked business reputation. Compared to previous studies, decision-making support, which was in the second place, fell to the fifth place. This result was confirmed to be a drop in ranking due to the improvement of delivery convenience due to the influence of COVID-19. In addition, in the case of beauty products, it was confirmed that risk reduction behavior related to COVID-19 infection is not a key factor in shopping value. These results confirmed changes in the importance of shopping value compared to pre-COVID-19 studies, and in the case of product groups other than beauty products, further studies are expected as there is a possibility of other results.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.288-302
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• 2022

Objective: Community pharmacists are frontline health care providers, but have been considered as underutilized professionals on a daily basis. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify information about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on community pharmacy services and to evaluate new services that could be applicable. Methods: We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for studies published up to January 10, 2020. Search terms consisted of keywords relevant to this review, including "COVID-19", "community pharmacy", and "community pharmacist". This review targeted studies of pharmacist services provided by community pharmacies in OECD member countries during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Results: Twenty-seven studies were included in this review. Changes in community pharmacist services due to the COVID-19 pandemic were broadly classified into four categories. First, as the face-to-face services became challenging, various non-face-to-face services were being tried. Second, community pharmacists directly participated in the services to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Third, community pharmacists made efforts to support continuity of care for patients who experienced difficulties due to the reduced professional care as health and medical resources are concentrated in response to COVID-19. Fourth, community pharmacist services were emerging, targeting patients suffering from greater health inequality during the pandemic. Patients expressed high demand and satisfaction for the service of the community pharmacist, and pharmacists reported self-efficacy and professional pride. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, various community pharmacist services have been tried and received positive evaluations from patients in several OECD countries.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.180-189
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• 2023

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a global shortage of medical resources; therefore, we investigated whether COVID-19 impacted the quality of non-COVID-19 hospital care in Korea by comparing hospital standardized mortality rates (HSMRs) before and during the pandemic. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed Korean National Health Insurance discharge claim data obtained from January to June in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Patients' in-hospital deaths were classified according to the most responsible diagnosis categories. The HSMR is calculated as the ratio of expected deaths to actual deaths. The time trend in the overall HSMR was analyzed by region and hospital type. Results: The final analysis included 2 252 824 patients. In 2020, the HSMR increased nationwide (HSMR, 99.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 97.7 to 101.0) in comparison to 2019 (HSMR, 97.3; 95% CI, 95.8 to 98.8). In the COVID-19 pandemic zone, the HSMR increased significantly in 2020 (HSMR, 112.7; 95% CI, 107.0 to 118.7) compared to 2019 (HSMR, 101.7; 95% CI, 96.9 to 106.6). The HSMR in all general hospitals increased significantly in 2020 (HSMR, 106.4; 95% CI, 104.3 to 108.5) compared to 2019 (HSMR, 100.3; 95% CI, 98.4 to 102.2). Hospitals participating in the COVID-19 response had a lower HSMR (HSMR, 95.6; 95% CI, 93.9 to 97.4) than hospitals not participating in the COVID-19 response (HSMR, 124.3; 95% CI, 119.3 to 129.4). Conclusions: This study suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic may have negatively impacted the quality of care in hospitals, especially general hospitals with relatively few beds. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to prevent excessive workloads in hospitals and to properly employ and coordinate the workforce.

• Convergence Security Journal
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 2022

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have introduced remote work. However, the introduction of remote work has increased attacks on companies to access sensitive information, and many companies have begun to use cloud services to respond to security threats. This study used LDA topic modeling techniques by collecting news data with the keyword 'cloud security' to analyze changes in domestic cloud security trends before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in domestic cloud security was low, so representation or association could not be found in the extracted topics. However, it was analyzed that the introduction of cloud is necessary for high computing performance for AI, IoT, and blockchain, which are IT technologies that are currently being studied. On the other hand, looking at topics extracted after the COVID-19 pandemic, it was confirmed that interest in the cloud increased in Korea, and accordingly, interest in cloud security improved. Therefore, security measures should be established to prepare for the ever-increasing usage of cloud services.