OBJECTIVES: This study investigated whether long-acting injectable (LAI) paliperidone is different from its oral form in terms of the effect on cognitive function in schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of patients in Seoul National University Bundang Hospital who were diagnosed as having schizophrenia and/or other psychotic disorders based on DSM-5 from 2016 to 2017. Seven patients were treated with oral paliperidone and 11 were treated with paliperidone palmitate. All patients underwent clinical and neuropsychological assessment, including the Korean version of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) at their first visit or within one month of their initial treatment. MCCB was repeated within three to 12 months after the initial assessment. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the two groups in most cognitive domains including speed of processing, attention and vigilance, working memory, verbal learning, visual learning and reasoning and problem solving domain. However, patients treated with paliperidone palmitate showed better improvement in social cognition domain than those taking oral paliperidone. The standardized values of social cognition domain scores had significantly improved over time in patients under paliperidone palmitate, demonstrating a significant time-by-group interaction. CONCLUSION: Our results show that long-acting injectable paliperidone could be helpful in some aspects of improving cognitive function in schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. Further studies with other antipsychotics are necessary to generalize the results.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Cognition ; Consensus ; Humans ; Learning ; Medical Records ; Memory, Short-Term ; Paliperidone Palmitate ; Pilot Projects ; Problem Solving ; Psychotic Disorders ; Schizophrenia ; Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders ; Seoul ; Verbal Learning

Objective: The clozapine/N-desmethylclozapine (NDMC) ratio is proposed to be used as a predictor of cognitive performance in clozapine-treated patients, as its principal metabolite, NDMC, has an opposite action with clozapine on the cholinergic system. The aim of this study is to determine whether clozapine has influence on cognitive performance in accordance with changes in the clozapine/NDMC in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: The data of fifteen patients with schizophrenia, who had initial and follow-up assessments after starting clozapine treatment, were retrospectively collected. The assessments included clinical scale, cognitive battery, and pharmacological data including plasma concentrations of clozapine and NDMC. The data were analyzed with Pearson correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses. Results: ΔAttention/vigilance, Δsocial cognition, and Δcomposite score had a significant correlation with Δclozapine/NDMC ratio, while ΔWorking memory had correlation with Δclozapine concentration and ΔNDMC concentration, and Δsocial cognition had association with Δclozapine concentration. Multiple regression analysis showed that Δattention/vigilance had negative association with Δclozapine/NDMC ratio, Δworking memory had negative relation with Δclozapine concentration, and that Δsocial cognition had negative association with Δclozapine concentration. Conclusion This finding implicates that lowering the clozapine/NDMC ratio could enhance cognition in patients with schizophrenia treated with clozapine.

Schizophrenia is a complex psychiatric disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and cognitive deficits, often leading to functional decline. Pharmacotherapy has long played a central role in schizophrenia management with our evolving understanding shaping the treatment.Current Concepts: Antipsychotic agents are the mainstay of the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia. Although second-generation antipsychotics (atypical) reduce extrapyramidal side effects, they give rise to metabolic concerns. Personalized treatment, guided by the response and side effects of the patient, determines suitable medications and dosages. Long-acting injectable antipsychotics have enhanced medication adherence, and the consideration of clozapine is warranted for treatment-resistant cases. In addition, potential combination therapies with other psychotropic medications could be explored to address specific symptoms or comorbidities.Discussion and Conclusion: Antipsychotics are pivotal in acute intervention and schizophrenia treatment maintenance. Individualized plans, accounting for drug response, side effects, and adherence, are essential when selecting specific antipsychotic agents. Long-acting injectables and clozapine with combination therapies for treatment resistance offer effective and tolerable management. Ongoing studies and novel antipsychotic development hold promise for improving schizophrenia treatment and patient life quality.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate medical service quality, satisfaction and to examine factors influencing hospital revisit intention of the United Arab Emirates government sponsored patients in Korea. METHODS: A total of 152 UAE government sponsored patients who visited Korean hospitals participated in the questionnaire survey from August to November 2016. Stepwise multiple regression was used to identify the factors that affected the revisit intention of the participants. RESULTS: The mean scores of medical service quality, satisfaction, and revisit intention were 5.72 out of 7, 88.88 out of 100, 4.59 out of 5, respectively. Medical service quality and satisfaction, Medical service quality and revisit intention, satisfaction and revisit intention were positively correlated. Medical service of physician, visiting routes and responsiveness of medical service quality explained about 23.8% of revisit intention. CONCLUSIONS: There are needs for physicians to communicate with patients while ensuring sufficient consultation time based on excellent medical skills and nurses to respond immediately for the patients' needs through an empathic encounter in order to improve medical service quality and patient satisfaction so that to increase the revisit intention of the United Arab Emirates government sponsored patients. Further, it is necessary for the hospitals to have support plans for providing country specialized services in consideration of the UAE culture to ensure that physicians' and nurses' competencies are not undervalued by non-medical service elements such as interpreters and meals.
Health Services ; Humans ; Intention* ; Korea ; Meals ; Patient Satisfaction ; Personal Satisfaction ; United Arab Emirates*

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the stages of change in smoking cessation behavior and factors associated with the stages of smoking cessation behavior according to the trans-theoretical model. METHODS: The subjects were 154 industrial workers working at H Industry in N City, Chonnam Province who were currently smoking and had smoked in the past. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Duncan's multiple comparison test using SAS Version 10.0. RESULTS: The subjects were distributed among the stages of change in smoking cessation behavior: there were 28 subjects (18.2%) in the precontemplation stage, 71 (46.1%) in the contemplation stage, 21 (13.6%) in the preparation stage, 8 (5.2%) in the action stage, and 26 (16.9%) in the maintenance stage. The amount of smoking per day, self-efficacy, and advantages (pros) of smoking were significantly associated with the stage of change in smoking cessation behavior. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that the stage of change in smoking cessation behavior of the subject should be identified prior to the application of intervention programs, nursing intervention strategies should be considered to reduce the amount of smoking per day, and the disadvantages of smoking should be perceived.
Jeollanam-do ; Nursing ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking*

Due to the diversification of the food industry and its heightened competition, the marketing strategy to be required the most would be to improve competitiveness by enhancing customer loyalty as a resulting variable of customer satisfaction. Thus, this study, taking a food service provider as a subject, is to find factors and the scope of the perceived quality ; and to analyze how far the perceived service quality factor as such could explain customer's overall satisfaction and customer loyalty ; finally to provide basic data for establishing a customer satisfaction marketing strategy as related to customer loyalty. The results of the study are as below. 1) 25 factors of service quality perceived by a food service provider have been categorized into 8 independent dimensions through factor analysis. Each of them are named 'Employee attitude', 'Cleanliness', 'Reputation', 'Reliability', 'Food', 'Price', 'Convenience', 'Variety', all of which explain 64.3% of the service again quality perception level. 2) After classifying customers into 3 groups according to two criteria -"will buy the service again" and "will suggest it to others" and making a pair of service providers with each customer, each customer loyalty group compared the service quality perception factor of the food service provider. The result was that the group having both the "will buy the service again" and "will suggest to others" criteria, that is, with higher loyalty, tend to have higher points than other group s in the dimension of 'Employee attitude' and 'Cleanliness'(p<0.05), which means these two dimensions are closely related to customer loyalty. 3) From a regression analysis for the service quality perception level of the food service provider and overall satisfaction, it has been found that : the regression models are different for each group, that 'Employee attitude' seems to be related more closely to the group with higher loyalty(p<0.05); that the 'Price' dimension is found to be a meaningful factor to the group categorized not having "will buy the service again" and "will suggest to others" criteria(p<0.05).
Food Industry ; Food Services ; Marketing ; Restaurants*

Service quality has become an important factor to meet customer satisfaction in the food service industry where competition is getting severe. Organizations are focused upon strengthening customer loyalty through customer satisfaction. Therefore, this study, taking customers as subjects, is intended to analyze factors affecting customer loyalty, on the basis of service quality satisfaction. In doing. so, the analysis has been done with 232 customers who are purchasing service from the food services industry, for general information, and service quality expectation, service quality satisfaction and overall satisfaction. The results of the study are as below. 1) From a factor analysis, the service quality expectation level of customer has been categorized into 4 factors, which are named General 'General management ', 'Food', 'Reliability' and 'Reputation'. 2) From the factor analysis, the service quality satisfaction level of customer has been categorized into 6 factors, which are named 'Employee attitude', 'Food', 'Reliability', 'Atmosphere', 'Reputation' and 'Price'. 3) After classifying customers into 3 groups according to two criteria-"will buy the service again" and "will suggest to others", a comparison has been done for the service quality expectation dimension of customers by each customer group. The result shows that the group having both the "will buy the service again" and "will buy the service again "and "will suggest to others" criteria, that is, with higher customer loyalty, tend to have higher point than other group in factors of 'Food', 'Reliability', 'Reputation'(p<.05). 4) As per the dimension of customer's service quality satisfaction level, factors like 'Employee attitude', 'Food', 'Reliability', 'Atmosphere', 'Reputation', and 'Price' have shown differences according to each loyalty group(P<.001). 5) Customers' overall satisfaction level according to each customer loyalty group has been found to be more important for the group having a higher loyalty level(p<.001) 6) From the discriminant analysis with employing judging variables, such as the customer's service quality expectation level, service quality satisfaction level and general satisfaction level, customer loyalty groups have been identified as accurately as 68.9% of the explanatory power.
Food Services ; Restaurants*

No abstract available.
Neurofibroma ; Orbit ; Peripheral Nerves

BACKGROUND: In this research, we conducted an analysis to grasp the relationship between hearing and quality of life and to prepare effective troubleshooting. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed using the data of the 6th term of the National Health and Nutrition Survey of the Disease Management Headquarters. And, out of 7,380 people, 3,598 adults over the age of 40 years who participated in the hearing test were selected as final research subjects and analyzed. RESULTS: It was confirmed that the result of the analysis affects the quality of life based on hearing. The quality of life associated with hearing loss was unpleasant, motor ability, anxiety/depression, and everyday life affected in order of self management. And factors having an effect on the quality of life of the study subjects were found to be gender, elderly, unmarried, low hearing, low household income, absence of economic activity, and low teaching standards. CONCLUSION: The conclusion is that strengthening education for realistic management and prevention rather than treatment for unconditional hearing impairment will overcome low self esteem and loneliness and alleviate any uncomfortable life that people with hearing loss give. It is expected to be possible.
Adult ; Aged ; Disease Management ; Education ; Family Characteristics ; Hand Strength ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Tests ; Hearing ; Humans ; Loneliness ; Nutrition Surveys ; Quality of Life ; Research Subjects ; Self Care ; Self Concept ; Single Person

Objective: More attempts have been made recently to improve psychosocial functioning and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia, due to their crucial role in long-term outcomes. Previous studies on the effects of clozapine on psychosocial functioning have been limited in terms of generalizability and application to clinical practice. This study examined the relationship of clozapine use with psychosocial functioning and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia in a real-world setting. Methods: Data were obtained from a survey targeting community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia. The Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were administered to evaluate psychosocial functioning and quality of life, and patients were classified into Clozapine and Non-clozapine groups. Group differences were assessed using ANCOVA, with additional sensitivity analyses for participants on atypical antipsychotic medications only. Results: Of 292 patients, the Clozapine group (n=34) had significantly better psychosocial functioning and quality of life than the Nonclozapine group (n=258), as demonstrated by their low BASIS score (F=4.651, df=1, 290, p=0.032) and high SWLS score (F=14.637, df=1, 290, p<0.001). Similar findings for psychosocial outcomes were observed in the analyses of the atypical antipsychotic subgroup (n=195). Conclusion For optimal recovery in schizophrenia, restoration of impaired social functioning and enhanced satisfaction with life are essential. In this study, clozapine use was related to high levels of psychosocial functioning and quality of life in real-world settings. Further research on the causal relationship between clozapine use and psychosocial functioning is needed.