Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a Korean version of the Thinking About Life Experiences (TALE-K) scale and to analyze the characteristics of autobiographical memory function (AMF) in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: To develop TALE-K, a translation and back-translation procedure followed by an understanding test was performed. Then, a survey was conducted to examine the associations of AMF with psychosocial variables using TALE-K, Index of Well-Being (IWB), Meaning in Life Scale for older adults, Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey, and Brief Resilience Scale. Results: Data from 75 community-dwelling older adults were used for the final analysis. The average scores of all three sub-scales of TALE-K were below 3 points (less frequent than occasionally). The correlation results showed that TALE-K total score was significantly associated with IWB and the Meaning in life scale for older adults. The multiple linear regression results present-ed that higher AMF was significantly associated with higher IWB, along with having siblings, higher meaning in life and resilience,and lower loneliness. Conclusion Including a validation study of TALE-K, studies for understanding the characteristics of AMF in older adults using TALE-K are needed.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to describe health in optimal fitness (HOF) in young children born prematurely and to analyze factors affecting HOF in health status, investment resources, and anthropological values, based on HOF theory. METHODS: A case-control study of 76 children with preterm births (PTB) was conducted at 24 to 42 months of corrected age. Their HOF status was evaluated based on height, weight, head circumference, and the Korean-Bayley Scale of Infant Development-II and classified as either HOF-achieved or HOF-uncertain in the domain of growth, development, and all together. RESULTS: For growth, development, and all, 26.3%, 27.6%, and 47.4% of children, respectively, belonged to the HOF-uncertain group. Logistic regression analysis showed that longer length of hospital stay (≥21days; OR=7.8; 95% CI [1.5, 40.5]), worse scores on the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) (≥38; OR=0.1; 95% CI [0.0, 0.4]), having a working mother, (OR=5.7; 95% CI [1.2, 27.6]), and an older mother (≥35 years; OR=8.8; 95% CI [2.1, 37.3]) were statistically significant contributors of HOF-uncertain in the domain of all. CONCLUSION: Findings show that young children born prematurely with prolonged stays in a neonatal intensive care unit and insufficient socioeconomic resources at home are more likely to exhibit delayed growth and development.
Case-Control Studies ; Child* ; Growth and Development ; Head ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Investments ; Length of Stay ; Logistic Models ; Mothers ; Premature Birth

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify a research trend of studies related to the Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) decision making process in Korea. METHODS: Assessing through five computerized databases, 889 studies were reviewed and of these 32 were included. An integrative literature review and text network analysis were applied to examine the research. The keywords from each article's abstracts were extracted by using a program, KrKwic. RESULTS: The number of studies on DNR decision has been increasing, especially since 2011. A descriptive study design (59%) was most commonly used in the research. In relation to factors affecting DNR decision, 97% of the studies stated patient factors and 66% stated family factors. 'Patient', 'DNR', 'decision', 'treatment', 'life', 'family' were the major keywords, and 'patient' and 'care' were dominant keywords that ranked high in coappearance frequency. CONCLUSION: Studies related to DNR decision have been increasing, and themes of the studies have also been broader. Further research is required to investigate factors affecting DNR decision in specific populations such as cancer patients, the elderly, patients with end-stage of chronic diseases etc. Moreover, a comparative study is necessary to define differences of research trends related to DNR decision making process between Korea and other countries.
Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Decision Making ; Humans ; Korea ; Resuscitation Orders

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of uncertainty and uncertainty appraisal on quality of life (QoL) among prostate cancer patients after prostatectomy. METHODS: A descriptive correlational study was conducted with 117 participants at a hospital in S city from October 1 to December 31, 2016. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression using the IBM SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. RESULTS: According to a multiple regression model of the factors affecting QoL among prostate cancer patients after the operation, 61% of variance (F=13.92, p<.001) was explained by metastasis, recurrence, monthly income, uncertainty, uncertainty danger appraisal, and uncertainty opportunity appraisal. And the most influential factor in the QoL was uncertainty danger appraisal (β=-.37, p<.001). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that QoL was influenced by uncertainty, uncertainty appraisal and personal characteristics. Prostate cancer patients following prostatectomy should be provided with tailored training to improve their uncertainty opportunity appraisal. Also the educational program for reducing their uncertainty should be developed and provided to patients.
Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prostate* ; Prostatectomy* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Quality of Life* ; Recurrence ; Uncertainty*

Objective: Since the characteristics of frequent emergency department (ED) users are heterogeneous, it is impossible to mitigate overcrowding of the ED without basic data of diagnoses and risk factors of frequent ED users. Instead of selecting for a limited disease group, our study included all ED patients, thereby providing invaluable information to help predict patient demand for medical resources. Methods: Frequent ED users are defined as patients who visit an ED between 7-17 times per calendar year, and highly frequent ED users are patients who visit an ED 18 times or more during the same period. Our study developed two logistic regression models comparing frequent users with less frequent users, and highly frequent users with frequent users. Results: Although 98.98% of all patients were determined as less frequent ED users, they encompassed only 92.27% of all ED visits. Frequent ED users were most strongly identified as wound dressing follow-up visits and liver diseases (standardized βvalue of 3.29 and 2.31, respectively). However, considering the different disease categories, no differences were obtained between highly frequent ED and frequent ED users. Conclusion The diagnoses and risk factors related to frequent ED visits in Korea identified in this study, will provide important reference for future research aimed at reducing ED overcrowding. By further analyzing the risk factors associated with frequent ED use, non-emergency administrative systems or medical facilities can be utilized to reduce the ED overload.

Objective: Since the characteristics of frequent emergency department (ED) users are heterogeneous, it is impossible to mitigate overcrowding of the ED without basic data of diagnoses and risk factors of frequent ED users. Instead of selecting for a limited disease group, our study included all ED patients, thereby providing invaluable information to help predict patient demand for medical resources. Methods: Frequent ED users are defined as patients who visit an ED between 7-17 times per calendar year, and highly frequent ED users are patients who visit an ED 18 times or more during the same period. Our study developed two logistic regression models comparing frequent users with less frequent users, and highly frequent users with frequent users. Results: Although 98.98% of all patients were determined as less frequent ED users, they encompassed only 92.27% of all ED visits. Frequent ED users were most strongly identified as wound dressing follow-up visits and liver diseases (standardized βvalue of 3.29 and 2.31, respectively). However, considering the different disease categories, no differences were obtained between highly frequent ED and frequent ED users. Conclusion The diagnoses and risk factors related to frequent ED visits in Korea identified in this study, will provide important reference for future research aimed at reducing ED overcrowding. By further analyzing the risk factors associated with frequent ED use, non-emergency administrative systems or medical facilities can be utilized to reduce the ED overload.

Systems thinking, a linking domain of health systems science (HSS), is an approach that investigates specific problems from a holistic perspective. It supports improving patients’ health, fulfilling their health needs, and anticipating issues that threaten patient safety within the healthcare system. It also helps solve problems through critical thinking and reflection. This study aimed to develop an curriculum on systems thinking, explore the effectiveness of the course, and investigate the applicability of HSS education at individual universities. In this study, the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) model was utilized to design, develop, implement, and evaluate an elective course on systems thinking. In the design process, learning outcomes and goals were developed, and educational content, teaching-learning methods, and student evaluation methods were linked. In the development process, class materials and evaluation materials were prepared. In the implementation process, the course was implemented, and the evaluation process analyzed the results of learning performance and curriculum assessments. The evaluation found the following results. First, the students in the study realized the importance of systems thinking and experienced the need for systems thinking through non-medical and medical situations. Second, the students were very satisfied with the learning activities in the course (mean=4.84), and the results of the self-competence evaluation, conducted before and after the course, also showed a significant improvement. This study confirmed the effectiveness of the elective course, and its results can serve as a reference for developing an HSS curriculum .

Purpose: The Korean Society of Medical Education (KSME) was founded in 1983 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2023. This study examines the evolution of topics discussed at KSME conferences from 1971 through 2023, highlighting shifts in the focus of medical education. Methods: We analyzed 90 KSME conferences over 5 decades (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s), categorizing the topics into three eras based on emerging themes and continuity. Results: Consequently, 37 topics covered at the conference were categorized. Ten topics continuously appeared from the 1970s to the 2010s, including future directions of medical education, teaching methods, faculty development, and curriculum. The topics from the 1970s to the 1990s included 14 areas, such as medical education evaluation, non-undergraduate curriculum, community-related, and research. Thirteen new topics emerged after the 2000s, such as social accountability, student support, professionalism, and quality improvements. The most common topics under innovations in medical education, a case of curriculum innovation at universities that began after 2000, were clinical clerkship, curriculum development, and medical humanities. Conclusion KSME’s selection of conference topics has been strategically aligned with societal needs and the evolving landscape of medical education. Future topics should continue to address relevant societal and educational challenges.

The aim of this study is to assess the actual epidemiologic features of Kawasaki disease (KD) in Korea using the data from Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA) claims from 2007 to 2014. We investigated HIRA claims of patients who had KD (International Classification of Diseases-10, M30.3) as a major diagnosis and were given intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) from 2007 to 2014. A total of 39,082 patients were reported during the period. The male-to-female ratio was 1.42 and the median age was 28 months. The incidence rates were 168.3 per 100,000 population aged 0 to 4 years in 2007, 159.1 in 2008, 167.3 in 2009, 190.4 in 2010, 188.2 in 2011, 190.2 in 2012, 210.4 in 2013 and 217.2 in 2014. These rates were much higher than those in the previous studies in Korea. KD occurred more often in early summer (May, June and July) and winter (December and January). The annual incidence rate of KD had been increasing every year, reaching 217.2 per 100,000 population aged 0 to 4 years in 2014. It is the second highest incidence rate of KD in the world after Japan.
Classification ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Incidence ; Insurance, Health* ; Japan ; Korea* ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome*

We have previously reported that Acer tegmentosum extract, which is traditionally used in Korea to reduce alcohol-related liver injury, suppresses liver inflammation caused by excessive alcohol consumption and might improve metabolism. The active ingredient, 6-O-galloylsalidroside (GAL), was isolated from A.tegmentosum, and we hypothesized that GAL could provide desirable pharmacological benefits by ameliorating physiological conditions caused by alcohol abuse. Therefore, this study focused on whether GAL could ameliorate alcoholic fat accumulation and repair liver injury in mice. During chronic alcohol consumption plus binge feeding in mice, GAL was administered orally once per day for 11 days. Intrahepatic lipid accumulation was measured in vivo using a noninvasive method, 1H magnetic resonance imaging, and confirmed by staining with hematoxylin and eosin and Oil Red O. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured using a Konelab system, and the triglyceride content was measured in liver homogenates using an enzymatic peroxide assay. The results suggested that GAL alleviated alcohol-induced steatosis,e as indicated by decreased hepatic and serum triglyceride levels in ethanol-fed mice. GAL treatment also correlated with a decrease in the Cd36 mRNA expression, thus potentially inhibiting the development of alcoholic steatosis via the hepatic de novo lipogenesis pathway. Furthermore, treatment with GAL inhibited the expression of cytochrome P450 2E1 and attenuated hepatocellular damage, as reflected by a reduction in ALT and AST levels. These findings suggest that GAL extracted from A.tegmentosum has the potential to serve as a bioactive agent for the treatment of alcoholic fatty liver and liver damage.