Background: Adolescent unintended pregnancies can have detrimental effects on maternal and fetal health, impacting the social lives of young parents. Globally, there is an emphasis on preventing unintended pregnancies in adolescents through comprehensive contraceptive education. This study examined contraception practices and determinants among sexually active Korean adolescents. Methods: This study analyzed raw data from the 2018 and 2021 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The cohort consisted of 6,042 adolescents who reported sexual experience, categorized into those always practicing contraception and those not. We scrutinized factors related to sexual behavior, such as contraception and sex education, as well as other social and behavioral factors. Results: Among sexually active adolescents, 47.9% of males and 48.1% of females consistently used contraception. The most prevalent contraceptive method was condoms (male 58.1%; female 59.6%). However, a significant portion of adolescents were not using contraception (male 29.4%; female 21.7%). Females who did not consistently use contraception exhibited higher pregnancy rates (2.4% vs. 11.3%). Consistent contraceptive users tended to live with their families and reported less sexual experience after drinking alcohol. Despite a decline in sexual education in schools from 2018 to 2021, the proportion of adolescents consistently using contraception increased. Conclusion To prevent unintended pregnancies among sexually active adolescents, consistent use of appropriate contraceptive methods is crucial.Comprehensive education on contraception should be extended beyond schools to include homes and primary healthcare settings. Policymakers and healthcare providers should consider these consequences when devising strategies to reduce unintended pregnancies among adolescents.

Background: Adolescent unintended pregnancies can have detrimental effects on maternal and fetal health, impacting the social lives of young parents. Globally, there is an emphasis on preventing unintended pregnancies in adolescents through comprehensive contraceptive education. This study examined contraception practices and determinants among sexually active Korean adolescents. Methods: This study analyzed raw data from the 2018 and 2021 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The cohort consisted of 6,042 adolescents who reported sexual experience, categorized into those always practicing contraception and those not. We scrutinized factors related to sexual behavior, such as contraception and sex education, as well as other social and behavioral factors. Results: Among sexually active adolescents, 47.9% of males and 48.1% of females consistently used contraception. The most prevalent contraceptive method was condoms (male 58.1%; female 59.6%). However, a significant portion of adolescents were not using contraception (male 29.4%; female 21.7%). Females who did not consistently use contraception exhibited higher pregnancy rates (2.4% vs. 11.3%). Consistent contraceptive users tended to live with their families and reported less sexual experience after drinking alcohol. Despite a decline in sexual education in schools from 2018 to 2021, the proportion of adolescents consistently using contraception increased. Conclusion To prevent unintended pregnancies among sexually active adolescents, consistent use of appropriate contraceptive methods is crucial.Comprehensive education on contraception should be extended beyond schools to include homes and primary healthcare settings. Policymakers and healthcare providers should consider these consequences when devising strategies to reduce unintended pregnancies among adolescents.

Background: Adolescent unintended pregnancies can have detrimental effects on maternal and fetal health, impacting the social lives of young parents. Globally, there is an emphasis on preventing unintended pregnancies in adolescents through comprehensive contraceptive education. This study examined contraception practices and determinants among sexually active Korean adolescents. Methods: This study analyzed raw data from the 2018 and 2021 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The cohort consisted of 6,042 adolescents who reported sexual experience, categorized into those always practicing contraception and those not. We scrutinized factors related to sexual behavior, such as contraception and sex education, as well as other social and behavioral factors. Results: Among sexually active adolescents, 47.9% of males and 48.1% of females consistently used contraception. The most prevalent contraceptive method was condoms (male 58.1%; female 59.6%). However, a significant portion of adolescents were not using contraception (male 29.4%; female 21.7%). Females who did not consistently use contraception exhibited higher pregnancy rates (2.4% vs. 11.3%). Consistent contraceptive users tended to live with their families and reported less sexual experience after drinking alcohol. Despite a decline in sexual education in schools from 2018 to 2021, the proportion of adolescents consistently using contraception increased. Conclusion To prevent unintended pregnancies among sexually active adolescents, consistent use of appropriate contraceptive methods is crucial.Comprehensive education on contraception should be extended beyond schools to include homes and primary healthcare settings. Policymakers and healthcare providers should consider these consequences when devising strategies to reduce unintended pregnancies among adolescents.

Background: Adolescent unintended pregnancies can have detrimental effects on maternal and fetal health, impacting the social lives of young parents. Globally, there is an emphasis on preventing unintended pregnancies in adolescents through comprehensive contraceptive education. This study examined contraception practices and determinants among sexually active Korean adolescents. Methods: This study analyzed raw data from the 2018 and 2021 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The cohort consisted of 6,042 adolescents who reported sexual experience, categorized into those always practicing contraception and those not. We scrutinized factors related to sexual behavior, such as contraception and sex education, as well as other social and behavioral factors. Results: Among sexually active adolescents, 47.9% of males and 48.1% of females consistently used contraception. The most prevalent contraceptive method was condoms (male 58.1%; female 59.6%). However, a significant portion of adolescents were not using contraception (male 29.4%; female 21.7%). Females who did not consistently use contraception exhibited higher pregnancy rates (2.4% vs. 11.3%). Consistent contraceptive users tended to live with their families and reported less sexual experience after drinking alcohol. Despite a decline in sexual education in schools from 2018 to 2021, the proportion of adolescents consistently using contraception increased. Conclusion To prevent unintended pregnancies among sexually active adolescents, consistent use of appropriate contraceptive methods is crucial.Comprehensive education on contraception should be extended beyond schools to include homes and primary healthcare settings. Policymakers and healthcare providers should consider these consequences when devising strategies to reduce unintended pregnancies among adolescents.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in Korea and the third leading cause of death from cancer. Treatment outcomes for colon cancer are steadily improving due to national health screening programs with advances in diagnostic methods, surgical techniques, and therapeutic agents.. The Korea Colon Cancer Multidisciplinary (KCCM) Committee intends to provide professionals who treat colon cancer with the most up-to-date, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve outcomes and help them make decisions that reflect their patients’ values and preferences. These guidelines have been established by consensus reached by the KCCM Guideline Committee based on a systematic literature review and evidence synthesis and by considering the national health insurance system in real clinical practice settings. Each recommendation is presented with a recommendation strength and level of evidence based on the consensus of the committee.

Objective: Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is a global issue that negatively impacts the clinical outcome. Through the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic era, overcrowding of ED isolated territory (isolation bed) was aggravated. This study analyzed overcrowding indices of ED isolation beds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study was a single-center, retrospective, observational study. The study analyzed 34,925 patients who visited the ED during the COVID-19 pandemic from April 2021 to August 2022. Patients who were treated in isolation beds and regular beds were compared. Among the patients using isolation beds, patients who stayed longer than 720 minutes were also classified and analyzed. Results: During the analysis period, 4,479 and 34,943 patients were treated in the ED isolation bed and ED regular bed, respectively. The overcrowding indices (general ward admission rate, intensive care unit admission rate, ED-length of stay, transfer rate, mortality rate, prolonged ED stay patient ratio) of the isolation beds were significantly higher than those of the ED regular bed (P<0.05). The prolonged ED stay-patient ratio of isolation beds and regular beds was affected by the number of COVID-19 patients (regular bed, r=0.617 and P=0.01; isolation bed, r=0.525 and P=0.03). The average ED-length of stay of isolation beds was longer than that of the ED regular beds. One hundred and forty-five patients were classified as prolonged ED stay patients. Their time from the decision point to the discharge point comprised a higher rate with an average of 76.52%. Conclusion ED isolation beds are more vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks. A proper medical policy and arrangement management system that can flexibly deal with disaster emergencies are required

OBJECTIVES: We estimated the population prevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), including unreported infections, through a Korea Seroprevalence Study of Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Retention and Transmission (K-SEROSMART) in 258 communities throughout Korea. METHODS: In August 2022, a survey was conducted among 10,000 household members aged 5 years and older, in households selected through two stage probability random sampling. During face-to-face household interviews, participants self-reported their health status, COVID-19 diagnosis and vaccination history, and general characteristics. Subsequently, participants visited a community health center or medical clinic for blood sampling. Blood samples were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to spike proteins (anti-S) and antibodies to nucleocapsid proteins (anti-N) SARS-CoV-2 proteins using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. To estimate the population prevalence, the PROC SURVEYMEANS statistical procedure was employed, with weighting to reflect demographic data from July 2022. RESULTS: In total, 9,945 individuals from 5,041 households were surveyed across 258 communities, representing all basic local governments in Korea. The overall population-adjusted prevalence rates of anti-S and anti-N were 97.6% and 57.1%, respectively. Since the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has reported a cumulative incidence of confirmed cases of 37.8% through July 31, 2022, the proportion of unreported infections among all COVID-19 infection was suggested to be 33.9%. CONCLUSIONS The K-SEROSMART represents the first nationwide, community-based seroepidemiologic survey of COVID-19, confirming that most individuals possess antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and that a significant number of unreported cases existed. Furthermore, this study lays the foundation for a surveillance system to continuously monitor transmission at the community level and the response to COVID-19.

Coffin-Lowry syndrome (CLS, OMIM # 303600) is a rare X-linked disorder caused by mutations in RPS6KA3. CLS is characterized by facial dysmorphism, digit abnormalities, developmental delays, growth retardation, and progressive skeletal changes in male patients. Females with CLS are variably affected, complicating diagnosis. Here, we describe the clinical and molecular findings in a female Korean child with CLS and review the associated literature. A 5-year-old girl presented with short stature and developmental delays. She had a coarse facial appearance characterized by a prominent forehead, hypertelorism, thick lips, and hypodontia. She also had puffy tapering fingers and pectus excavatum. We performed exome sequencing and identified a novel, likely pathogenic, heterozygous variant, c.326_338delinsCTCGAGAC (p.Val109Alafs*10), in RPS6KA3 (NM_004586.2). This is the first Korean female genetically diagnosed with CLS. In contrast to the delayed bone age reported in previous studies, our patient showed advanced bone age and central precocious puberty. CLS should be considered as a differential diagnosis of short stature, tapering fingers, and developmental delay. We suggest that molecular techniques can be a useful tool for diagnosis of rare disorders such as CLS because such conditions are not simple, and the associated spectrum of phenotypes can vary.

Objective: This case report was intended to report on a rare cause of spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM). Methods: When a patient with Crohn's disease (CD) visited our hospital for pneumomediastinum, a disease activity evaluation was performed, and specific questions were asked to identify possible causes of SPM. Results: The disease status of CD was confirmed as in active by evaluation. Specific questions about situations requiring the Valsalva maneuver, including vigorous exercise, lifting heavy objects, and difficult stool passage, were asked, but none were applicable. When asked an open question regarding incidents related to deep breathing, the patient answered that he had recently started smoking an electronic cigarette which required taking deep breaths. Conclusion Even when there is an underlying disease, specific history-taking is important if the possibility of complications related to the underlying disease is low. A new wave of previously unseen complications has emerged in parallel with increased electronic cigarette use.

Background: Airborne particulate matter (PM), a widespread air contaminant, is a complex mixture of solids and aerosols composed of particles suspended in the air. PM is associated with inflammatory responses and may worsen inflammatory skin diseases. However, the mechanisms through which PM affects atopic dermatitis (AD) remain unclear. Objective: To establish an In Vitro model that more accurately mimics AD using human keratinocyte (HaCaT), dermal fibroblast (HDF), and mast cell (HMC-1) and using this model to investigate the mechanism through which PMs affect AD. Methods: An AD-like In Vitro model was established by seeding HaCaT, HDF, and HMC-1 cells with recombinant human interleukin (IL)-1α and polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid.We confirmed the effect of PM on the inflammatory cytokine expression of a triple-cell culture model. SRM 1649b Urban Dust, which is mainly composed of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, was used as the reference PM. The effects of PM on the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines and skin barrier markers were assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Inflammatory cytokine levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Interactions between various skin cell types were evaluated using a co-culture system. PM treatment increased mRNA and protein levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1α, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-4, and IL-1β and decreased the expression of the skin barrier markers filaggrin and loricrin. Conclusion Our results suggest that an In Vitro triple-cell culture model using HaCaT, HDF, and HMC-1 cells may be reliable for obtaining more physiological, functional, and reproducible data on AD and skin barriers.