Objectives: This qualitative study explores the perspectives of dental hygienists and examines factors influencing payment structures in a community home-based oral health care intervention program. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted on October 26, 2023, in a quiet study room over 120 minutes. Intervention providers who participated in the older adults medical care integration support program were included in this study. Their ages ranged from 25 to 57 years, with experience in home-based oral healthcare spanning from 1.5 to 5 years. Voice recordings of the interviews were transcribed using Clova Note and Naver’s AI transcription tool. Subsequently, the ‘Word Cloud Generator 3.7’ program was employed to extract, visualize, and analyze frequently mentioned words and key concepts from the responses. Results Semantic analysis identified 61 significant keywords and 10 subcategories, categorized into four main themes: ‘oral health challenges in the elderly,’ ‘work system of home-based dental hygienists,’ ‘needs and realities of home-based oral care,’ and ‘payment and compensation frameworks.’ Conclusions: To address the demands of a super-aging society, it is imperative to establish a standardized oral healthcare cost system for home-based interventions, supported by clear laws and regulations.

Objectives: This qualitative study explores the perspectives of dental hygienists and examines factors influencing payment structures in a community home-based oral health care intervention program. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted on October 26, 2023, in a quiet study room over 120 minutes. Intervention providers who participated in the older adults medical care integration support program were included in this study. Their ages ranged from 25 to 57 years, with experience in home-based oral healthcare spanning from 1.5 to 5 years. Voice recordings of the interviews were transcribed using Clova Note and Naver’s AI transcription tool. Subsequently, the ‘Word Cloud Generator 3.7’ program was employed to extract, visualize, and analyze frequently mentioned words and key concepts from the responses. Results Semantic analysis identified 61 significant keywords and 10 subcategories, categorized into four main themes: ‘oral health challenges in the elderly,’ ‘work system of home-based dental hygienists,’ ‘needs and realities of home-based oral care,’ and ‘payment and compensation frameworks.’ Conclusions: To address the demands of a super-aging society, it is imperative to establish a standardized oral healthcare cost system for home-based interventions, supported by clear laws and regulations.

Objectives: This qualitative study explores the perspectives of dental hygienists and examines factors influencing payment structures in a community home-based oral health care intervention program. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted on October 26, 2023, in a quiet study room over 120 minutes. Intervention providers who participated in the older adults medical care integration support program were included in this study. Their ages ranged from 25 to 57 years, with experience in home-based oral healthcare spanning from 1.5 to 5 years. Voice recordings of the interviews were transcribed using Clova Note and Naver’s AI transcription tool. Subsequently, the ‘Word Cloud Generator 3.7’ program was employed to extract, visualize, and analyze frequently mentioned words and key concepts from the responses. Results Semantic analysis identified 61 significant keywords and 10 subcategories, categorized into four main themes: ‘oral health challenges in the elderly,’ ‘work system of home-based dental hygienists,’ ‘needs and realities of home-based oral care,’ and ‘payment and compensation frameworks.’ Conclusions: To address the demands of a super-aging society, it is imperative to establish a standardized oral healthcare cost system for home-based interventions, supported by clear laws and regulations.

Objectives: This qualitative study explores the perspectives of dental hygienists and examines factors influencing payment structures in a community home-based oral health care intervention program. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted on October 26, 2023, in a quiet study room over 120 minutes. Intervention providers who participated in the older adults medical care integration support program were included in this study. Their ages ranged from 25 to 57 years, with experience in home-based oral healthcare spanning from 1.5 to 5 years. Voice recordings of the interviews were transcribed using Clova Note and Naver’s AI transcription tool. Subsequently, the ‘Word Cloud Generator 3.7’ program was employed to extract, visualize, and analyze frequently mentioned words and key concepts from the responses. Results Semantic analysis identified 61 significant keywords and 10 subcategories, categorized into four main themes: ‘oral health challenges in the elderly,’ ‘work system of home-based dental hygienists,’ ‘needs and realities of home-based oral care,’ and ‘payment and compensation frameworks.’ Conclusions: To address the demands of a super-aging society, it is imperative to establish a standardized oral healthcare cost system for home-based interventions, supported by clear laws and regulations.

Congenital syphilis occurs when Treponema pallidum crosses the placenta during pregnancy or from contact with an infectious genital lesion during delivery. Cutaneous manifestations of congenital syphilis are relatively common, occurring in approximately 30% to 70% of patients. Maculopapular lesions, vesiculobullous lesions, condylomata lata lesions, annular lesions, and erythema multiforme-like targetoid lesions have been reported. We report on a premature newborn with congenital syphilis who presented with generalized bullous and pustular eruption and desquamation at birth.
Blister ; Erythema ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Parturition ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Syphilis ; Syphilis, Congenital ; Treponema pallidum

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the trend of self-injurious behavior (SIB) among persons who were directly impacted by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially those with pre-existing mental disorders. Methods: Using the National Health Insurance Service-COVID-19 database cohort, the monthly SIB rate was calculated by COVID-19 subgroups (i.e., positive for COVID-19 test, negative for COVID-19 test, and non-COVID-19 test [control]). In addition, moderated regression analysis was utilized to examine the statistical difference of SIB (suicide attempt and non-suicidal self-injury using ICD-10 code) trend between COVID-19 subgroups and with and without pre-existing mental disorder. Results: A total of 328,373 persons were included in the cohort study. Of these, 212,678 had been tested for COVID-19, and 7,713 of them were confirmed positive. During the pandemic peak, the “negative for COVID-19” group showed a large increase (P = 0.003) in SIB rates compared to the control group, the “positive for COVID-19” group showed a decreasing trend, but not significant (P = 0.314). Among those who were tested for COVID-19, those with pre-existing mental disorders showed an increasing trend of SIB compared to those without pre-existing mental disorders, however statistically insignificant (P= 0.137). Conclusion Our results suggest that people who are tested for COVID-19 are at a high risk of SIB during the peak COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, screening for suicide risk and psychological interventions is needed for these high-risk groups.

Objective: To investigate the cumulative effect of antipsychotics at different dosages on mortality in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: We analyzed data from the Korean National Health Insurance System−National Sample Cohort covering the 2002−2013 period. We used Cox regression analysis to calculate hazard ratios for mortality risks according to cumulative antipsychotic exposure levels (low, moderate, and high). Results: Our analyses revealed no significant association between antipsychotic exposure and mortality (either all-cause or cause-specific) in patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion Our results imply that the excess mortality of patients with schizophrenia is attributable to factors other than antipsychotic usage.

Objectives: Children and adolescents have a high prevalence of dental caries, primarily due to negligent oral care, frequent snack intake, and inadequate attention to oral disease prevention.Therefore, ensuring oral care and preventing dental caries during this period is essential. Economic barriers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like the Philippines, limit access to dental care, highlighting the need for national oral health programs. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the oral health status of children in selected areas of the Philippines and to generate basic data for effective oral health promotion programs. We compared the oral health statuses of enrolled and newly enrolled students in schools with school-based dental clinics. Results: The results indicated that the prevalence of caries and the average number of carious permanent teeth were lower in enrolled students than in new students. Conclusions This finding suggests that school-based oral healthcare programs effectively improve children’s oral health and that introducing school-based dental clinics and establishing efficient systems are essential for improving oral health in low- and middle-income countries.

Ischemic colitis is one of the most common intestinal ischemic injury in which more than 90% of patient are over 60 year-old. It results from impaired perfusion of blood to the bowel and is rarely caused by vasculitis such as systemic lupus erythematosus, polyarteritis nodosa, and Takayasu's arteritis. Takayasu's arteritis affects the aortic arch, medium-sized and large arteries but rarely involves inferior mesenteric artery. We report a case of Takayasu's arteritis involving inferior mesenteric artery which developed ischemic colitis in a 70 year old female. To the author's knowledge this is the first case report in Korea. A 70 year old woman who had suffered from Takayasu's arteritis for 5 years was admitted for sudden abominal pain and hematochezia. On sigmoidoscopy, there were multiple segmental longitudinal ulcerations around splenic flexure and diffuse hemorrhagic edematous mucosa from descending colon to sigmoid colon. On abdominal CT angiography, inferior mesenteric artery was not traced. We diagnosed it as ischemic colitis combined with Takayasu's arteritis. After the conservative treatment, abdominal pain and hematochezia disappeared. She was followed up to 2 years without recurrence of symptoms.
Abdominal Pain/diagnosis ; Aged ; Colitis, Ischemic/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Takayasu Arteritis/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

Treatment options for children with end-stage heart failure are limited. We report the first case of a successful pediatric heart transplantation bridged with a durable left ventricular assist device in Korea. A 10-month-old female infant with dilated cardiomyopathy and left ventricular non-compaction was listed for heart transplantation. During the waiting period, the patient’s status deteriorated. Therefore, we decided to provide support with a durable left ventricular assist device as a bridge to transplantation. The patient was successfully bridged to heart transplantation with effective support and without any major adverse events.