Objectives: This study examined factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Korean adults. Methods: Using data from 5,620 participants in the 9th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, obesity was defined as body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 and HRQoL assessed by the health-related quality of life instrument with 8 items (HINT-8). Complex survey weights were applied. Results: General linear and multiple regression analyses showed that among women, obesity was significantly associated with lower HINT-8 scores (B=-0.008, p=0.032), while no association was found in men. Age, household income, education, perceived stress, and smoking were also significantly related to HRQoL in both sexes. Conclusions HRQoL in Korean adults is influenced by obesity, socioeconomic status, and mental health indicators. The adverse effect of obesity observed only in women highlights the need for sex-specific public health strategies and the relevance of culturally adapted tools such as the HINT-8.

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate whether there was a relationship between smoking and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in a Korean adult group. Methods: This study was based on the data from eighth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The subjects were 5,273 adults aged 19 years or older. Smoking group was classified into non-smoker, exsmoker, and current smoker. GAD was defined as above 10 points of GAD-7. The correlation between smoking and GAD was examined using complex sample design after adjusting confounders. Results: For male, smoking did not have a significant effect on GAD, but for female, current smokers were significantly more likely to have GAD than non-smokers (odds ratio=2.33, p=0.012). Conclusions The association between smoking and GAD was found only in female. The result means that a differentiated approach is needed for female and male in the management of smokers and patients with GAD.

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate whether there was a relationship between smoking and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in a Korean adult group. Methods: This study was based on the data from eighth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The subjects were 5,273 adults aged 19 years or older. Smoking group was classified into non-smoker, exsmoker, and current smoker. GAD was defined as above 10 points of GAD-7. The correlation between smoking and GAD was examined using complex sample design after adjusting confounders. Results: For male, smoking did not have a significant effect on GAD, but for female, current smokers were significantly more likely to have GAD than non-smokers (odds ratio=2.33, p=0.012). Conclusions The association between smoking and GAD was found only in female. The result means that a differentiated approach is needed for female and male in the management of smokers and patients with GAD.

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate whether there was a relationship between smoking and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in a Korean adult group. Methods: This study was based on the data from eighth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The subjects were 5,273 adults aged 19 years or older. Smoking group was classified into non-smoker, exsmoker, and current smoker. GAD was defined as above 10 points of GAD-7. The correlation between smoking and GAD was examined using complex sample design after adjusting confounders. Results: For male, smoking did not have a significant effect on GAD, but for female, current smokers were significantly more likely to have GAD than non-smokers (odds ratio=2.33, p=0.012). Conclusions The association between smoking and GAD was found only in female. The result means that a differentiated approach is needed for female and male in the management of smokers and patients with GAD.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and body shape perception and depression. Methods: This study was based on data from 2016, 2018, and 2020 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The subjects were 7,302 adult female aged 19 to 65. We performed chi-square test with the RaoScott correction and Logistic regression analyses to examine the association among BMI, body shape perception, and depression. Results: All demographic variables such as age, household income, education, marital status, medical service satisfaction, body shape perception, medical conditions except drinking problem, smoking and physical activity were correlated with depression. The rate of depression decreased from underweight to normal weight and overweight, and increased from obesity to severe obesity (p<0.001). And people who perceived themselves thin or overweight had more depression than normal (p<0.001). Conclusions The results of this study suggest that appropriate body mass index and normal body shape perception have a positive effect on mental health.

Objectives: ：We investigated relationship between sleep time and depression in the aged 65 years or older. Methods: ：This study was based on the data from seventh Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). 3,285 people aged 65 years or older were selected as the subjects of this research. The demographic characteristics, sleep time and Patient Health Questinnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were administered for each subjects. Depression was defined as above 10 points of PHQ-9. Results: ：All the demographic variables such as age, sex, education, household income, marital status, drinking and smoking except Body Mass Index (BMI) were correlated with the depression. When we corrected the variables, inadequate sleep time groups (less than 6 hours or more than 9 hours) tended to be depressed. Conclusions ：The study results showed the significant correlation between sleep time and depression in the aged 65 years or older. Adequate sleep time is important to prevent the depression of the aged.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a higher risk of death within 5 years of being diagnosed than the other forms of breast cancer. It is the second leading cause of death due to cancer among women. Currently, however, no diagnostic blood-based biomarker exists to identify the early stages of TNBC. To address this point, we utilized a human protein microarray system to identify serum autoantibodies that showed different expression patterns between TNBC and normal serum samples, and identified five autoantibodies showing TNBC-specific expression. Among them, we selected the thioredoxin-like 2 (TXNL2) autoantibody and evaluated its diagnostic relevance by dot blot analysis with the recombinant TXNL2 protein. We demonstrated that the TXNL2 autoantibody showed 2- to 6-fold higher expression in TNBC samples than in normal samples suggesting that serum TXNL2 autoantibodies are potential biomarkers for TNBC.
Autoantibodies ; Biomarkers ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cause of Death ; Female ; Humans ; Protein Array Analysis ; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: This study aims to analyze quality of and satisfaction with Korea medical services and identify factors affecting medical service satisfaction, revisit, and recommendation intention among international patients. METHODS: Secondary analysis of survey data conducted by Korea Health Industry Development Institute from June 10th to July 17th in 2013 was done using multiple regression and logistic regression analysis. The 191 international patients from 9 medical institutions in Seoul were enrolled. RESULTS: The results showed that international patients were satisfied with 85.6 points out of 100.0 points. International patients appraised higher in staff service rather than other services. Factors influencing medical service satisfaction were gender, religion, medical specialty, length of stay, and quality of medical services. Quality of medical service explained 29.8% of medical service satisfaction and especially, ‘doctor's care’ and ‘communication and patient respect‘ were significantly related to medical service satisfaction. Medical specialty had a significant influence on revisit intention. There were no statistically significant influencing factors of recommendation intention. Additionally, more satisfied patients were associated with higher revisit and recommendation intention. CONCLUSION: This study implies that quality of medical services is a critical factor for patient satisfaction and that satisfaction with medical services is an important factor for increasing revisit and recommendation intention among international patients. In addition, health care providers should consider cultural differences to enhance satisfaction with medical services for international patients. Therefore, multidimensional strategy is required to strengthen the cultural competency of healthcare providers.
Cultural Competency ; Health Personnel ; Health Services ; Humans ; Intention* ; Korea* ; Length of Stay ; Logistic Models ; Patient Satisfaction ; Seoul

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to investigate physicians' attitudes toward ethical end-of-life decision making about dying newborns. METHODS: Between October and December 2015, we surveyed 185 neonatal staff members working at 6 neonatal intensive care units to investigate their attitudes toward ethical end-of-life decision making about dying newborns. RESULTS: The respondents generally agreed with using sedatives/analgesics to suppress pain despite the risk of fatality (80%), continuing current treatment without using other treatment methods (56.2%), and withholding emergency treatment in the form of cardiac arrest resuscitation (48.1%). In contrast, most respondents disagreed with administering drugs for the purpose of ending life, withholding neonatal intensive care, and withholding mechanical ventilation. Although the respondents believed that it is necessary to suggest that the parents of dying neonates sign do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders (62.7%), most of them found it difficult to talk to parents/families about DNR orders (90.8%), or wanted to refrain from obtaining families' consent in person (84.9%). CONCLUSION: Korean neonatal staff members believed that withholding or withdrawal of treatment is necessary when making ethical decisions about dying neonates; however, they preferred to use conservative, rather than active interventions.
Decision Making* ; Emergency Treatment ; Ethics ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Parents ; Respiration, Artificial ; Resuscitation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Little research has been conducted on adverse drug reactions in neonates, particularly in Korea, where no studies have been reported. METHODS: We conducted a retrospectively study using medical records in a neonatal intensive care unit from August 1, 2013 to July 31, 2014. The adverse drug reactions were evaluated according to the Naranjo algorithm, World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre, and the Korean adverse drug reaction algorithm. RESULTS: Of the 410 infants hospitalized during the study period, 57 cases of adverse drug reactions were reported in 40 infants (9.8%). The average gestational age was 28.4+/-4.3 weeks, the average birth weight was 1,184.1+/-622.0 g, and the adverse drug reactions were reported at an average of 21.0+/-29.7 days after birth. Causative agents were identified as electrolytes (36.8%), respiratory medication (14.0%), total parenteral nutrition (12.3%), lipid emulsion (10.5%), antibiotics (7.0%), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, 7.0%), sedatives (7.0%), vaccine (3.5%), and an antiviral medication (1.8%). Of the 57 cases, 55 (96.5%) cases demonstrated meaningful adverse drug reactions, defined as those given a score of "possible or above" in all 3 adverse drug reaction algorithms. CONCLUSION: More emphasis is warranted in the field of neonatal adverse drug reactions.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Birth Weight ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions* ; Electrolytes ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal* ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total ; Parturition ; Retrospective Studies ; World Health