• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.55 no.1
• /
• pp.68-79
• /
• 2022

Objectives: This study investigated associations between ethnicity and malaria awareness in East Nusa Tenggara Province (ENTP), Indonesia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted upon 1503 adults recruited by multi-stage cluster random sampling. A malaria awareness questionnaire was used to collect data, according to which participants were classified as aware or unaware of malaria. Logistic regression was applied to quantify the strength of associations of factors with malaria awareness. Results: The participation rate in this study was high (99.5%). The participants were distributed relatively evenly among the Manggarai, Atoni, and Sumba ethnicities (33.0, 32.3, and 30.2%, respectively). Malaria awareness was significantly different amongst these groups; it was most common in the Manggarai ethnicity (65.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 59.9 to 70.3) and least common in the Sumba ethnicity (35.0%; 95% CI, 27.6 to 42.4). The most prominent factor influencing the malaria awareness in the Sumba and Manggarai ethnicities was education level, whilst it was socioeconomic status (SES) in the Atoni ethnicity. The likelihood of malaria awareness was significantly higher in adults with an education level of diploma or above (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 21.4; 95% CI, 3.59 to 127.7 for Manggarai; aOR, 6.94; 95% CI, 1.81 to 26.6 for Sumba). Malaria awareness was significantly more common amongst high-SES adults in the Atoni group (aOR, 24.48; 95% CI, 8.79 to 68.21). Conclusions: Low education levels and low SES were prominent contributors to lower levels of malaria awareness in rural ENTP. Interventions should focus on improving malaria awareness to these groups to support the Indonesian government's national commitment to achieve a malaria elimination zone by 2030.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.240-247
• /
• 2022

Purpose: Studies on the relationship between obesity and injuries, especially those sustained in pedestrian traffic accidents, are lacking. We aimed to assess the effects of obesity on the severity of injury at the time of admission to the emergency room in patients who experienced pedestrian traffic accidents. Methods: This study included trauma patients registered in the Korean Trauma Database from July 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020, whose mechanism of injury was pedestrian traffic accidents and who were treated at a single institution. Those aged below 15 years were excluded. Patients were assigned to nonobese and obese groups based on a body mass index of 25 kg/m². An Injury Severity Score of 25 or greater was considered to indicate a critical injury. Results: In total, 679 cases of pedestrian traffic accidents were registered during the study period, and 543 patients were included in the final analysis. Of them, 360 patients (66.3%) and 183 patients (33.7%) were categorized as nonobese and obese, respectively. The median age was significantly higher in the nonobese group than in the obese group (60 vs. 58 years). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the odds ratio for critical injury in obese patients was 1.59 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-2.48) compared with nonobese patients. Conclusions: Obesity affected the likelihood of sustaining severe injuries in pedestrian traffic accidents. Future studies should analyze the effects of body mass index on the pattern and severity of injuries in patients with more diverse injury mechanisms using large-scale data.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.67-76
• /
• 2023

Objectives: Previous studies have reported that people with disabilities are more likely to be impoverished and affected by excessive medical costs than people without disabilities. Public transfer income (PTI) reduces financial strain in low-income households. This study examined the impact of PTI on catastrophic health expenditures (CHE), focusing on low-income households and households with Medical Aid beneficiaries that contained people with disabilities. Methods: We constructed a panel dataset by extracting data on registered households with disabilities from the Korea Welfare Panel Study 2012-2019. We then used a generalized estimating equation model to estimate the impacts of PTI on CHE. A subgroup analysis was carried out to assess the moderating effects of family income levels and health insurance types. Results: As PTI increased, the odds ratio (OR) of CHE in households that contained people with disabilities decreased significantly (OR, 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.89 to 0.94; p<0.001). In particular, PTI effectively reduced the likelihood of CHE for low-income households (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.81 to 0.89; p<0.001) and those who received medical benefits (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.89; p<0.001). Conclusions: This study highlights the positive effect of PTI on decreasing CHE. Household income and the health insurance type were significant effect modifiers, but economic barriers seemed to persist among low-income households with non-Medical Aid beneficiaries. Federal policies or programs should consider increasing the total amount of PTI targeting low-income households with disabilities that are not covered by the Medical Aid program.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.24-35
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study investigated the incidence and risk factors of cataract in people with diabetes mellitus (DM) using data from Ansan cohort of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES). Methods: Data from a total of 329 patients with type 2 DM without cataract who participated in Ansan cohort of the KoGES from baseline survey (2001-2002) to fifth follow-up visit (2011-2012) were examined. The characteristics of the subjects were analyzed with frequency and percentage, and mean and standard deviation. Cataract incidence was measured as incidence proportion (%). For risk factors of cataract, hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were obtained using the Cox proportional hazard model. Results: The cataract incidence over a 10-year follow-up period was 19.1% (15.1 in males and 25.8 in females), and mean age at the incidence of cataract was 63.48 years (61.58 years in males and 65.31 years in females). Age (HR=1.09, 95% CI=1.05-1.13) and HbA1c (HR=1.21, 95% CI=1.07-1.37) or the duration of DM (HR=1.05, 95% CI=1.00-1.09) were found to be independently associated with cataract development. Conclusion: Cataract development in people with DM is common, and its likelihood increases with age, HbA1c, and the duration of DM. Considering negative effect of cataract on their quality of life and economic burden, nurses should identify people with DM at a higher risk of cataract development, and plan individual eye examination programs to detect cataract development as early as possible.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.56 no.6
• /
• pp.563-572
• /
• 2023

Objectives: The high readmission rate of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has led to the worldwide establishment of proactive measures for identifying and mitigating readmissions. This study aimed to identify factors associated with readmission, as well as groups particularly vulnerable to readmission that require transitional care services. Methods: To apply transitional care services that are compatible with Korea's circumstances, targeted groups that are particularly vulnerable to readmission should be identified. Therefore, using the National Health Insurance Service's Senior Cohort database, we analyzed data from 4874 patients who were first hospitalized with COPD from 2009 to 2019 to define and analyze readmissions within 30 days after discharge. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors correlated with readmission within 30 days. Results: The likelihood of readmission was associated with older age (for individuals in their 80s vs. those in their 50s: odds ratio [OR], 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19 to 2.12), medical insurance type (for workplace subscribers vs. local subscribers: OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.72 to 0.99), type of hospital (those with 300 beds or more vs. fewer beds: OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.90), and healthcare organization location (provincial areas vs. the capital area: OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.41). Conclusions: Older patients, patients holding a local subscriber insurance qualification, individuals admitted to hospitals with fewer than 300 beds, and those admitted to provincial hospitals are suggested to be higher-priority for transitional care services.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.271-279
• /
• 2023

Purpose: Adolescent self-harm is a public health problem. Research suggests a link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and self-destructive behaviors. Few studies, however, have examined the effects of ACEs on self-harm among Asian adolescents. This study explored the association between lifetime ACEs and a history of self-harm among Korean children and adolescents in elementary, middle, and high schools. Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective medical record review was conducted on a dataset of a national psychiatrist advisory service for school counselors who participated in the Wee Doctor Service from January 1 to December 31, 2020. The data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression to predict self-harm. Results: Student cases (n=171) were referred to psychiatrists by school counselors for remote consultation. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the odds of self-harm were higher among high school students (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=4.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.94-12.76), those with two or more ACEs (aOR=3.27; 95% CI=1.43-7.47), and those with depression (aOR=3.06; 95% CI=1.32-7.10). Conclusion: The study's findings provide compelling evidence that exposure to ACEs can increase vulnerability to self-harm among Korean students. Students with a history of ACEs and depression, as well as high school students, require increased attention during counseling. School counselors can benefit from incorporating screening assessment tools that include questions related to ACEs and depression. Establishing a systematic referral system to connect students with experts can enhance the likelihood of identifying self-harm tendencies and offering the essential support to prevent self-harm.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.39-50
• /
• 2023

Objective: To assess the contrast-enhanced CT and ultrasonography (US) findings of intracholecystic papillary neoplasm (ICPN) and determine the imaging features predicting ICPN associated with invasive carcinoma (ICPN-IC). Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, we enrolled 119 consecutive patients, including 60 male and 59 female, with a mean age ± standard deviation of 63.3 ± 12.1 years, who had pathologically confirmed ICPN (low-grade dysplasia [DP] = 34, high-grade DP = 35, IC = 50) and underwent preoperative CT or US. Two radiologists independently assessed the CT and US findings, focusing on wall and polypoid lesion characteristics. The likelihood of ICPN-IC was graded on a 5-point scale. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify significant predictors of ICPN-IC separately for wall and polypoid lesion findings. The performances of CT and US in distinguishing ICPN-IC from ICPN with DP (ICPN-DP) was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results: For wall characteristics, the maximum wall thickness (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-1.9) and mucosal discontinuity (aOR = 5.6; 95% CI: 1.3-23.4) on CT were independently associated with ICPN-IC. Among 119 ICPNs, 110 (92.4%) showed polypoid lesions. Regarding polypoid lesion findings, multiplicity (aOR = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.6-10.4), lesion base wall thickening (aOR = 6.0; 95% CI: 2.3-15.8) on CT, and polyp size (aOR = 1.1; 95% CI: 1.0-1.2) on US were independently associated with ICPN-IC. CT showed a higher diagnostic performance than US in predicting ICPN-IC (AUC = 0.793 vs. 0.676; p = 0.002). Conclusion: ICPN showed polypoid lesions and/or wall thickening on CT or US. A thick wall, multiplicity, presence of wall thickening in the polypoid lesion base, and large polyp size are imaging findings independently associated with invasive cancer and may be useful for differentiating ICPN-IC from ICPN-DP.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.75-81
• /
• 2024

Objectives: Although adolescents appear less vulnerable to coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the side effects of this pandemic can still be devastating. Bullying and suicidality are significant global issues with detrimental effects on young people, particularly during school closure. This study aimed to identify the relationship between bullying and suicide risk among adolescents in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on adolescents aged 14-18 years in May 2020 in Bandung, Indonesia, using a web-based closed survey. The Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument and the Suicide Behavior Questionnaire-Revised were used to measure bullying and risk of suicide. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: This study included 268 participants in 2020 and 175 participants in 2019. In 2020, the prevalence of perpetrators and victims of bullying combined was 74.6%. Meanwhile, in 2019, the prevalence of perpetrators and victims of bullying combined was 82.9%. Risk of suicide increased from 26.1% in 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) to 36.5% in 2020 (during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic). The risk of perpetrators and suicide victims was higher than that of perpetrators and victims alone (odds ratio [OR]=4.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.5-6.6 vs. OR=1.3, 95% CI=1.0-2.9 and OR=1.6, 95% CI=1.1-2.8, respectively). Conclusion: Bullying can enhance the likelihood of suicide among adolescents in Indonesia, and the risk was highest for the combination of victims and perpetrators. It is very important to provide early risk prediction for youths with bullying behavior and improve the knowledge and understanding of families and schools regarding the negative effects of bullying behavior.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.349-356
• /
• 2014

Background: This study aimed to explore factors associated with the non-use of beneficiaries of long-term care insurance services for the elderly in Jeollanam-do Province by analyzing a dataset obtained from National Health Insurance Service. Methods: The study sample consists of 1,663 individuals who were evaluated as eligible for long-term care insurance services in Jeollanam-do Province during the period of July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. As a dependent variable, the non-use of the service was defined as one when a beneficiary had used it once or more times during one year after he or she was evaluated as eligible and as zero otherwise. A proportion analysis was conducted to describe characteristics of study sample. Chi-square tests were used to compare general characteristics between beneficiaries who had used the services and those who had not used them. Multiple logistic regressions were performed by three models including additional sets of explanatory variables such as socio-demographic characteristics, health conditions, and economic status. Results: Main results are summarized as follows. The proportion of beneficiaries who had not used the service was 14.5% of all beneficiaries. According to the results from the model using all explanatory variables, the factors associated with the non-use of the services were residence location, dwelling place, type of desired service, level of care needs, and instrumental activities of daily life limitations. Conclusion: In particular, regarding the type of desired service, the cash benefit showed a high likelihood of the non-use of the service; it had an odds ratio (OR) of 50.212 (95% confidence interval [CI], 24.00-105.04) compared with home service. In case of dwelling place, a hospital showed also a high likelihood of the non-use with an OR of 20.71 (95% CI, 10.12-42.44) compared with home.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.3-14
• /
• 2018

Background: Both objective body shape and perceived body image have been known to influence the mental health. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of a combination between actual body mass index (BMI) status and perceived body image with anxiety depressive condition (ADC) in Korean men and women. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data of 26,239 subjects ${\geq}20$ years old from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2014). This study performed a Rao-Scott chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analyses reflecting survey characteristics and used a variety of independent variables such as socio-demographics and health behavior factors. Results: With all independent variables considered, people with normal weight who perceived themselves as overweight were more likely associated with ADC than a referent group with normal weight who perceived themselves as normal weight, as shown for both men (odds ratio [OR], 1.52; confidence interval [CI], 1.07-2.15) and women (OR, 1.25; CI, 1.06-1.48). Meanwhile, compared to the referent group, men with underweight who perceived themselves as underweight showed a lower association with ADC (OR, 0.63; CI, 0.41-0.97), whereas women with underweight who perceived themselves as underweight showed its higher association (OR, 1.47; CI, 1.10-1.96). Conclusion: A certain group of people categorized as a combination between actual BMI status and perceived body image showed a relatively high likelihood of having ADC, and the gender difference in the likelihood of having the condition for a group was clear. Therefore, this study suggests the need to identify the group at a high risk of ADC on the basis of actual BMI status and perceived body image and to develop an appropriate mental health management program for the group.