Background: Health information should be accurate and of high quality. While search websites are widely used to obtain health information, search results can vary depending on the availability of information in each language and the algorithms of search websites. We compared the search results and their reliability on popular search websites in Korea and the United States. Methods: Using the most popular search websites in Korea (A) and the US (B), with B divided into KR and US domains, we evaluated the search results for three diseases (hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis) and two medications (Lipitor, Norvasc). We compared the proportion of paid ads and website categories, as well as quality and accuracy using a validated scoring tool. Results: Search website A had a high proportion of paid ads (40.3%), compared to B KR (4.3%) and B US (0%). B US had the highest proportion of reliable websites (58.1%), followed by B KR (52.9%) and A (14.6%). B US had the highest median quality score (25) while A had the lowest (14).Additionally, B US had the highest accuracy (95%), followed by B KR (87.7%) and A (52.2%). Conclusions Our data suggest that health information provided by popular search website in Korea is inaccurate and of low quality compared with that provided by its counterpart in the US. Users should prioritize credible websites, be cautious of ads, and seek professional advice. In addition, jointefforts from the government, search websites, and healthcare professionals are needed to provide accurate online health information.

Background: Health information should be accurate and of high quality. While search websites are widely used to obtain health information, search results can vary depending on the availability of information in each language and the algorithms of search websites. We compared the search results and their reliability on popular search websites in Korea and the United States. Methods: Using the most popular search websites in Korea (A) and the US (B), with B divided into KR and US domains, we evaluated the search results for three diseases (hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis) and two medications (Lipitor, Norvasc). We compared the proportion of paid ads and website categories, as well as quality and accuracy using a validated scoring tool. Results: Search website A had a high proportion of paid ads (40.3%), compared to B KR (4.3%) and B US (0%). B US had the highest proportion of reliable websites (58.1%), followed by B KR (52.9%) and A (14.6%). B US had the highest median quality score (25) while A had the lowest (14).Additionally, B US had the highest accuracy (95%), followed by B KR (87.7%) and A (52.2%). Conclusions Our data suggest that health information provided by popular search website in Korea is inaccurate and of low quality compared with that provided by its counterpart in the US. Users should prioritize credible websites, be cautious of ads, and seek professional advice. In addition, jointefforts from the government, search websites, and healthcare professionals are needed to provide accurate online health information.

Background: Health information should be accurate and of high quality. While search websites are widely used to obtain health information, search results can vary depending on the availability of information in each language and the algorithms of search websites. We compared the search results and their reliability on popular search websites in Korea and the United States. Methods: Using the most popular search websites in Korea (A) and the US (B), with B divided into KR and US domains, we evaluated the search results for three diseases (hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis) and two medications (Lipitor, Norvasc). We compared the proportion of paid ads and website categories, as well as quality and accuracy using a validated scoring tool. Results: Search website A had a high proportion of paid ads (40.3%), compared to B KR (4.3%) and B US (0%). B US had the highest proportion of reliable websites (58.1%), followed by B KR (52.9%) and A (14.6%). B US had the highest median quality score (25) while A had the lowest (14).Additionally, B US had the highest accuracy (95%), followed by B KR (87.7%) and A (52.2%). Conclusions Our data suggest that health information provided by popular search website in Korea is inaccurate and of low quality compared with that provided by its counterpart in the US. Users should prioritize credible websites, be cautious of ads, and seek professional advice. In addition, jointefforts from the government, search websites, and healthcare professionals are needed to provide accurate online health information.

Background: Health information should be accurate and of high quality. While search websites are widely used to obtain health information, search results can vary depending on the availability of information in each language and the algorithms of search websites. We compared the search results and their reliability on popular search websites in Korea and the United States. Methods: Using the most popular search websites in Korea (A) and the US (B), with B divided into KR and US domains, we evaluated the search results for three diseases (hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis) and two medications (Lipitor, Norvasc). We compared the proportion of paid ads and website categories, as well as quality and accuracy using a validated scoring tool. Results: Search website A had a high proportion of paid ads (40.3%), compared to B KR (4.3%) and B US (0%). B US had the highest proportion of reliable websites (58.1%), followed by B KR (52.9%) and A (14.6%). B US had the highest median quality score (25) while A had the lowest (14).Additionally, B US had the highest accuracy (95%), followed by B KR (87.7%) and A (52.2%). Conclusions Our data suggest that health information provided by popular search website in Korea is inaccurate and of low quality compared with that provided by its counterpart in the US. Users should prioritize credible websites, be cautious of ads, and seek professional advice. In addition, jointefforts from the government, search websites, and healthcare professionals are needed to provide accurate online health information.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that affect the posttraumatic growth (PTG) among nurses caring for patients with COVID-19. Methods: The subjects of this study were 194 nurses working at COVID-19 designated hospital who had experience in providing direct care for patients with COVID-19. Data were collected in November 2020 using self-administered questionnaires. Results: Deliberate rumination(β =.51, p<.001), calling (β=.20, p=.001), and religion (β=.11, p=.023) were found to affect the PTG of the subjects. Conclusion The findings of this study demonstrate that it is necessary to develop intervention programs and policies to enhance deliberate rumination and calling in order to promote PTG among nurses providing care for patients with emerging infectious diseases.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that affect the posttraumatic growth (PTG) among nurses caring for patients with COVID-19. Methods: The subjects of this study were 194 nurses working at COVID-19 designated hospital who had experience in providing direct care for patients with COVID-19. Data were collected in November 2020 using self-administered questionnaires. Results: Deliberate rumination(β =.51, p<.001), calling (β=.20, p=.001), and religion (β=.11, p=.023) were found to affect the PTG of the subjects. Conclusion The findings of this study demonstrate that it is necessary to develop intervention programs and policies to enhance deliberate rumination and calling in order to promote PTG among nurses providing care for patients with emerging infectious diseases.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between e-cigarette (EC) use and development of acute severe pneumonia in the Korean population using a national database. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis using linkage of data between the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) administrative claims database. The primary endpoint of this study was development of severe pneumonia requiring hospital admission according to EC use during the study period. The secondary endpoints were in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, ventilator care, and days of hospital stay. Results: The final analysis included 28,950 individuals, of which 578 (2.0%) were EC users.EC users were younger and more often male than non-EC users. The EC users showed higher level of education and household income and had fewer comorbidities. Severe pneumonia was noted in 37 of 28,372 non-EC users (0.13%), but there were no occurrences of severe pneumonia in EC users. The incidence of pneumonia occurrence was not different between the two groups (P = 1.000). Conclusions Since e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury (EVALI) is most likely included in acute severe pneumonia occurring within 3 months of EC use, it is considered that there might be no EVALI patients in Korea during the investigation period. A large-scale, prospective study is necessary to evaluate the association between EC use and acute lung injury.

beta-Lactamases ; Colon ; Epidemiology ; Far East ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Klebsiella ; Liver Abscess ; Liver ; Pneumonia ; Population Characteristics ; Republic of Korea ; Serogroup ; Tertiary Healthcare

Active and prompt scale-up screening tests are essential to efficiently control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. The goal of this work was to identify shortcomings in the conventional screening system (CSS) implemented in the beginning of the outbreak. To overcome these shortcomings, we then introduced a novel, independently developed system called the Yeungnam University type drive-through (YU-Thru), and distributed it nationwide in Korea. This system is similar to the drive-throughs utilized by fast food restaurants. YU-Thru system has shortened the time taken to test a single person to 2–4 minutes, by completely eliminating the time required to clean and ventilate the specimen collection room. This time requirement was a major drawback of the CSS. YU-Thru system also reduced the risk of subjects and medical staff infecting one another by using a separate and closed examination system. On average, 50 to 60 tests were conducted per day when using the CSS, while now up to 350 tests per day are conducted with the YU-Thru system. We believe that the YU-Thru system has made an important contribution to the rapid detection of COVID-19 in Daegu, South Korea. Here, we will describe the YU-Thru system in detail so that other countries experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks can take advantage of this system.

BACKGROUND: Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) has been the most significant pathogen for liver abscesses in East Asia including the Republic of Korea (ROK). Although gastrointestinal colonization of K. pneumoniae may cross the intestinal barrier to invade the liver, characteristics of gastrointestinal carriage K. pneumoniae of hvKP liver abscess patients in the ROK are not well known. METHODS: Characteristics of K. pneumoniae isolated from stool samples and liver aspirate samples of patients with hvKP liver abscess at a tertiary care hospital in the ROK between 2017 and 2018 were evaluated. RESULTS: Out of 37 patients with hvKP liver abscess, 11 patients were noted to have K. pneumoniae isolated from stool samples and were enrolled for analysis. The median age was 71 years. For hvKP isolates from the liver aspirate samples, the most common serotype was K1 (72.7%) followed by K2 (27.3%). For K. pneumoniae isolates from the stool sample, the majority was non-K1/K2 serotype (72.7%). Among non-K1/K2 serotype isolates, high variability of sequence type (ST; ST15, ST307, ST37, ST273, ST2622, and ST42) with high rate of presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (100.0%) was noted. The concordance rate of the K. pneumoniae isolates between the liver aspirate samples and the stool samples from the primary hvKP liver abscess was low (27.3%). CONCLUSION This study suggests that significant heterogeneity of K. pneumoniae colonizing intestinal tract of the hvKP liver abscess patients. Further studies involving a larger number of hvKP liver abscess patients with continuing surveillance are needed to define the changing epidemiology and the role of gastrointestinal K. pneumoniae in the hvKP liver abscess patients in the ROK.