The increasing use of human biospecimens and health data in research raises ethical and legal concerns regarding privacy, consent, and ownership. This study examined public awareness, attitudes, and concerns related to biospecimen and health data in South Korea. A nationwide online survey was conducted with 500 adults, stratified by region, age, and gender. The questionnaire assessed awareness levels, donation experience, motivations, and concerns related to biospecimen and health data donation. Statistical analyses using SPSS (version 29) included chi-square tests across demographic variables such as gender, age, education, and occupation. Awareness of biospecimen donation was moderate for biomedical research (55.2%) but lower for industrial research (42.2%).Awareness of biobanks was low (21.4%). Willingness to donate was higher for biomedical research (biospecimens 54.0%, health data 50.6%) than for industrial purposes (48.2%, 43.8%). The main motivations included humanitarian concerns and public benefit, while major concerns focused on privacy and physical discomfort. Most participants (72.2%) preferred detailed consent. Men were more willing to donate and expressed more favorable attitudes toward biospecimen and health data donation than women. The findings indicate moderate public awareness and willingness to donate biospecimens and health data, alongside persistent concerns about privacy, ownership, and compensation. Enhancing ethical governance and public engagement is essential to building trust in biobank-based research.

This paper examines the practical challenges of respecting patient autonomy in life-sustaining treatment (LST) decisions through a real clinical case. While Korea’s Life-Sustaining Treatment Decision Act provides a legal framework for withholding and withdrawing LST, its implementation in clinical settings remains complex. This case study illustrates the intricate decision-making dynamics among patients, healthcare providers, and caregivers, highlighting the need for more nuanced ethical deliberation in Advance Care Planning (ACP). The absence of ACP that fully reflects patients’ preferences and values can hinder optimal end-of-life care. This study argues for a more practical approach to balancing patient autonomy and best interests, offering recommendations to enhance ACP integration in clinical practice.

Background: Advances in neuroscience and neurotechnology provide great benefits to humans though unknown challenges may arise. We should address these challenges using new standards as well as existing ones. Novel standards should include ethical, legal, and social aspects which would be appropriate for advancing neuroscience and technology.Therefore, the Korea Neuroethics Guidelines were developed by stakeholders related to neuroscience and neurotechnology, including experts, policy makers, and the public in the Republic of Korea.Method: The guidelines were drafted by neuroethics experts, were disclosed at a public hearing, and were subsequently revised by opinions of various stakeholders. Results: The guidelines are composed of twelve issues; humanity or human dignity, individual personality and identity, social justice, safety, sociocultural prejudice and public communication, misuse of technology, responsibility for the use of neuroscience and technology, specificity according to the purpose of using neurotechnology, autonomy, privacy and personal information, research, and enhancement. Conclusion Although the guidelines may require a more detailed discussion after future advances in neuroscience and technology or changes in socio-cultural milieu, the development of the Korea Neuroethics Guidelines is a milestone for the scientific community and society in general for the ongoing development in neuroscience and neurotechnology.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the correlations between the regional characteristics of counties in Gangwon Province, Republic of Korea and the ratio of intracounty to extracounty sources of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Methods: The region of the infectious contact was analysed for each COVID-19 case reported in Gangwon Province between February 22, 2020 and February 7, 2022. The population, population density, area, the proportion of urban residents, the proportion of older adults (>65 years), financial independence, and the number of adjacent counties were assessed for each of the 18 counties in Gangwon Province. Correlation coefficients between regional characteristics and the ratio of intracounty to extracounty infections were calculated. Results: In total, 19,645 cases were included in this study. The population, population density, proportion of older adults, and proportion of urban residents were significantly correlated with the ratio of intracounty to extracounty infections. A stratified analysis with an age cut-point of 65 years showed that the proportion of older adults had a significant negative correlation with the ratio of intracounty to extracounty infections. In other words, the proportions of extracounty infections were higher in countries with higher proportions of older adults. Conclusion Regions with ageing populations should carefully observe trends in infectious disease outbreaks in other regions to prevent possible transmission.

Objectives: This study examined the influence of adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and insomnia on the risk of unintentional minor musculoskeletal injuries (UMMI). Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out in a single unit of the army in South Korea. One hundred and seventy-seven subjects participated in the study. The Adult ADHD SelfReport Scale (ASRS-v1.1) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) was used to screen. The risk of UMMI during one-week winter ranger training was investigated. Results: All subjects were male and aged 21.75 (standard deviation 1.5). Approximately 9.6% of subjects had clinically relevant adult ADHD symptoms. Subjects with ADHD had a higher stress index and higher rates of insomnia than those without symptoms. After adjusting for age, rank, service months, obesity, history of UMMI, sleep time, and risk of the task, the ADHD group was 4.90 times more likely to have UMMI than the control group. Insomnia increased the risk of UMMI 8.14 fold. Conclusion These results suggest that an evaluation and intervention for adult ADHD and insomnia should be made in people engaged in other tasks that may result in UMMI.

Objective: As the population of the elderly increases, the prevalence of dementia and other mental diseases of the elderly is also increasing. Dementia is a typical elderly mental illness. Some people with dementia may cause a crime due to symptoms of mental behavior. The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of criminal behavior of various elderly mental patients. Methods: From January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019, the court selected 65 years of age or older from among the criminal psychiatric appraisal cases commissioned by the court. A total of 205 medical records and mental assessments were reviewed retrospectively. All records were prepared through psychiatric interviews, clinical psychological examinations, and other examinations, and the information compiled was viewed in several aspects, including demographic factors, crime characteristics, and psychiatric opinions, at the level of technical analysis. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the judgment of criminal liability according to the degree of cogni-tive impairment (p<0.001) in the elderly mentally ill, and a significant difference in criminal behavior depending on the type ofmental illness (p<0.001). Conclusion Not only dementia but also other elderly mental illnesses are related to violent crime. In particular, paranoid symptoms and alcohol abuse in older adults’ mental illness are related to the type of criminal behavior. In an aging society, appropriate therapeutic intervention is needed to prevent criminal behavior of the elderly mentally ill.

Objective: As the population of the elderly increases, the prevalence of dementia and other mental diseases of the elderly is also increasing. Dementia is a typical elderly mental illness. Some people with dementia may cause a crime due to symptoms of mental behavior. The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of criminal behavior of various elderly mental patients. Methods: From January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019, the court selected 65 years of age or older from among the criminal psychiatric appraisal cases commissioned by the court. A total of 205 medical records and mental assessments were reviewed retrospectively. All records were prepared through psychiatric interviews, clinical psychological examinations, and other examinations, and the information compiled was viewed in several aspects, including demographic factors, crime characteristics, and psychiatric opinions, at the level of technical analysis. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the judgment of criminal liability according to the degree of cogni-tive impairment (p<0.001) in the elderly mentally ill, and a significant difference in criminal behavior depending on the type ofmental illness (p<0.001). Conclusion Not only dementia but also other elderly mental illnesses are related to violent crime. In particular, paranoid symptoms and alcohol abuse in older adults’ mental illness are related to the type of criminal behavior. In an aging society, appropriate therapeutic intervention is needed to prevent criminal behavior of the elderly mentally ill.

PURPOSE: Endoscopic papillectomy (EP) is currently employed for the treatment of ampullary adenoma. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical, endoscopic, and histologic characteristics related to complications and long-term outcomes of EP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine patients underwent EP for ampullary adenoma. Patients were grouped according to the occurrence of procedure-related complications: no complication group (n=28) and complication group (n=11). RESULTS: The overall complication rate was 28.2%. The most common complication was EP-related pancreatitis (n=7). Amylase (p=0.006) and lipase levels (p=0.007), 24 hours after EP, were significantly higher in the complication group, however, these levels did not differ at earlier times. As the tumor progressed from adenoma to cancer, the complete resection was significantly lessened (p=0.032). The duration of antiprotease injection during the hospital stay was significantly longer (p=0.017) and the transfusion requirements were significantly higher (p=0.018) in the complication group. During a median follow-up of 15 months, three lesions (10.3%) recurred among patients with complete resection (n=29) and five lesions (12.8%) recurred among enrolled patients. One patient with progressive recurrence from low-grade dysplasia to adenocarcinoma was noted during a follow-up of 22 months. CONCLUSION: If symptoms are present, amylase and lipase levels, 24 hours after EP, could help predict possible EP-related pancreatitis. Histologic diagnosis through resected specimens may result in complete resection. Patients with complications need a longer duration of antiprotease injection during their hospital stay and more transfusions. The recurrence rate was not significantly high in completely resected cases, however, there was a possibility of progressive recurrence.
Adenoma/*surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Common Bile Duct Neoplasms/*surgery ; Endoscopy/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Retrospective Studies