A pilot cross-sectional study was conducted in order to identify the need and the use of HIV/AIDS counselling services and real situation at the counselling facilities in Hanoi. Data was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire to 8 groups of people with risk behaviors related to HIV/AIDS. These groups also took part in group discussions. Structured in-deep interviews with counsellors and observation at counselling facilities were also conducted. The need for using HIV/AIDS counselling services was low (45.7%). Only 41.6% of person who have need for counselling had used service. People living with HIV/AIDS and their families were the two main groups using these services. The reason for low utilisation was users' poor perception of HIV/AIDS infection risks. Problems from the providersm as inappropriate organisation and investment, also contributed to limit the services. The main findings suggest that increase of the perception on HIV/AIDS risk for individuals and communities is needed. In order to increase the utilisation of community services, it should be reorganised. At the same time, the counselling activities should be socialised and considered as the key task of the whole society and community, not only that of the health sector.
HIV, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Health Planning Guidelines

OBJECTIVETo systematically review the clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for ischemic stroke in Chinese medicine (CM) with the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument.

METHODSCM CPGs for ischemic stroke were searched in 5 online databases and hand-searches in CPGrelated handbooks published from January 1990 to December 2012. The CPGs were categorized into evidence based (EB) guideline, consensus based with no explicit consideration of evidence based (CB-EB) guideline and consensus based (CB) guideline according to the development method. Three reviewers independently appraised the CPGs based on AGREE II instrument, and compared the CPGs' recommendations on CM pattern classification and treatment.

RESULTSFive CM CPGs for ischemic stroke were identified and included. Among them, one CPG was EB guideline, two were CB guidelines and two were CB-EB guidelines. The quality score of the EB guideline was higher than those of the CB-EB and CB guidelines. Five CM patterns in the CPGs were recommended in the EB CPG. The comprehensive protocol of integrative Chinese and Western medicine recommended in the EB CPG was mostly recommended for ischemic stroke in the CPGs. The recommendations varied based on the CM patterns.

CONCLUSIONThe quality of EB CPG was higher than those of CB and CB-EB CPGs in CM for ischemic stroke and integrative approaches were included in CPGs as major interventions.

Biomedical Research ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; therapy ; Health Planning Guidelines ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Stroke ; complications ; therapy

Lung function reportedly declines with age and that this decline is accelerated during disease progression. However, a recent study showed that the decline might peak in the mild and moderate stage. The prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be improved if the disease is diagnosed in its early stages, prior to the peak of decline in lung function. This article reviews recent studies on early COPD and the possibility of applying the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation 2008 and 2015 for early detection of COPD in Korea.
Advisory Committees ; Disease Progression ; Early Diagnosis ; Health Planning Guidelines ; Korea ; Lung ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive*

Case reports are valuable clinical evidence in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, the general reporting quality is suboptimal. A working group comprising 20 members was set up to develop systematic recommendations on case report in Chinese medicine (CARC). The working group (CARC group) developed a primary checklist based on reviewing the general reporting quality of case reports in TCM and thorough internal discussion. Two-round consensus process had been carried out among clinical experts, evidence-based medicine methodologists, medical journal editors and clinical practitioners with designated questionnaire embedded with the primary checklist. In total, 118 participants from 17 provinces of China and Korea completed the questionnaires. Their feedback was analyzed and discussed by the CARC group. The checklist was amended accordingly, and the final version, comprising 16-item, is presented here. Under the framework of CARC recommendations, the reporting quality of case reports in TCM can be improved.
Consensus ; Female ; Health Planning Guidelines ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Research Report

Acupuncture Points ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Health Planning Guidelines ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

In 1952, the Japanese Society for Hygiene had once passed a resolution at its 22nd symposium on population control, recommending the suppression of population growth based on the idea of cultivating a healthier population in the area of eugenics. Over half a century has now passed since this recommendation; Japan is witnessing an aging of the population (it is estimated that over 65-year-olds made up 27.7% of the population in 2017) and a decline in the birth rate (total fertility rate 1.43 births per woman in 2017) at a rate that is unparalleled in the world; Japan is faced with a "super-aging" society with low birth rate. In 2017, the Society passed a resolution to encourage all scientists to engage in academic researches to address the issue of the declining birth rate that Japan is currently facing. In this commentary, the Society hereby declares that the entire text of the 1952 proposal is revoked and the ideas relating to eugenics is rejected. Since the Society has set up a working group on the issue in 2016, there have been three symposiums, and working group committee members began publishing a series of articles in the Society's Japanese language journal. This commentary primarily provides an overview of the findings from the published articles, which will form the scientific basis for the Society's declaration. The areas we covered here included the following: (1) improving the social and work environment to balance between the personal and professional life; (2) proactive education on reproductive health; (3) children's health begins with nutritional management in women of reproductive age; (4) workplace environment and occupational health; (5) workplace measures to counter the declining birth rate; (6) research into the effect of environmental chemicals on sexual maturity, reproductive function, and the children of next generation; and (7) comprehensive research into the relationship among contemporary society, parental stress, and healthy child-rearing. Based on the seven topics, we will set out a declaration to address Japan's aging society with low birth rate.
Aging ; Birth Rate ; trends ; Child ; Child Health ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; prevention & control ; Female ; Health Planning Guidelines ; Humans ; Japan ; epidemiology ; Male ; Occupational Health ; Reproductive Health ; education ; Research Design ; standards ; Societies, Scientific ; organization & administration ; Stress, Psychological ; prevention & control ; Women's Health

The National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) was established to provide cancer screening services for low-income Medicaid recipients in 1999. Since then, the NCSP has expanded its target population to include National Health Insurance beneficiaries. Currently, the program targets the five most common types of cancer in Korea: stomach, liver, colorectal, breast, and cervical cancer. The National Cancer Center has been involved in developing and revising the practice guidelines for the NCSP in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and related academic societies. The main methodological principles of development were determined as follows: an evidence-based approach to the development of recommendations on cancer screening was used, that the recommendation could be drawn by an adaptation process if evidence-based current reliable clinical practice guidelines were available, and that the level of evidence was assessed by methodologies. The process of recommendation development was divided into planning, development, and finalization steps. Planning tasks consisted of selection of clinical practice guideline topics, organization of a clinical practice guideline development group, reviewing the existing clinical practice guidelines, establishment of development plans, and definition of key questions. Development tasks consisted of steps including searching the literature evidence base, assessment of the quality of evidence, integration of evidence, and formulation of recommendations and deciding on the recommendation grade. The finalization tasks included external review, up-dating of the plan, and publication of the clinical practice guidelines.
Breast ; Cooperative Behavior ; Early Detection of Cancer* ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Korea ; Liver ; Medicaid ; Methods* ; National Health Programs ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Publications ; Social Change ; Social Planning ; Stomach ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

INTRODUCTIONThe current avian and human H5N1 influenza epidemic has been in resurgence since 2004. We decided to evaluate published evidence in relation to epidemiology, clinical features and course, laboratory diagnosis, treatment and outcome of human H5N1 influenza, and develop institutional clinical management guidelines.

METHODSA search of PubMed was conducted for all English language articles with search terms "avian", "influenza" and "H5N1". The bibliography of articles was searched for other references of interest.

RESULTSPublished case series from Hong Kong in 1997, and Thailand and Vietnam since 2004 have indicated a rapidly progressive primary viral pneumonia resulting in acute respiratory distress syndrome. The majority of human H5N1 infections can be linked to poultry exposure. Hitherto there has been no evidence of efficient human-to-human transmission. Case fatality rates have varied from 71% in Thailand to 100% in Cambodia. Oseltamivir appears to be the only potentially effective antiviral therapy. H5N1 isolates in Vietnam have become resistant to oseltamivir, resulting in persistent viral replication and death. There is as yet no effective human H5N1 vaccine.

CONCLUSIONSNational and international preparedness plans are well advised. Clinical trials to evaluate higher dose oseltamivir therapy and immunomodulatory treatment are urgently needed.

Animals ; Birds ; Disease Outbreaks ; prevention & control ; Global Health ; Health Planning ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; Influenza Vaccines ; Influenza in Birds ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

PURPOSE: This study developed a web-based wound care course for undergraduate nursing students and evaluated the course's content, system, and student-satisfaction. METHODS: This study was done in three stages, the development of the web-based wound care course, the implementation and evaluation of the course. The course was developed based on the ARCS model. 80 undergraduate nursing students to Y University in Korea used the web-based wound care program during four weeks. After that, they completed questionnaires, evaluating the contents, system, and their satisfaction. RESULTS: Eighteen learning objectives were used to create the web-based wound care course and the course was developed with 7 chapters and 20 subsections. The analysis of the questionnaires showed a mean score for content and system-related items of 3.04 each, out of a possible 4 points. Student satisfaction items had a mean score of 2.89. CONCLUSIONS: The web-based course allowed students access to the course anytime and anywhere, and according to their own learning abilities. However this advantage would only be possible when nurse educators develop qualitative web-based course to meet the demand of a complex health care system as well as the needs of the students and the effectively incorporate it into traditional lectures.
*Attitude of Health Personnel ; Attitude to Computers ; Causality ; Computer-Assisted Instruction/*methods ; Curriculum ; Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate/*organization & administration ; Humans ; Internet/*organization & administration ; Korea ; Models, Educational ; Needs Assessment ; Nursing Assessment ; Nursing Diagnosis ; Nursing Education Research ; Patient Care Planning ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Program Development ; Program Evaluation ; Questionnaires ; Skin Care/nursing ; Students, Nursing/*psychology ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries/etiology/*nursing