Institutional variation of smoking cessation success in Taiwan: A multi-level analysis of the National Second-Generation Tobacco Cessation Program Data.

Introduction: Although the relationships between personal factors and smoking abstinence are well-documented, institutional variation in smoking abstinence remains underexplored. This study investigates institutional variation in the six-month smoking abstinence prevalence among institutions participating in Taiwan's Second-Generation Tobacco Cessation Program (SGTCP) and examines institutional characteristics associated with smoking cessation success.

Methods: The analysis included 304,757 pharmacotherapy and health education sessions from 160,336 participants who received smoking cessation services across 2420 institutions under the SGTCP between 2000 and June 2022.

Intrinsic Capacity and Life Quality Among Taiwanese Older People: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Intrinsic capacity (IC), an internal composite ability proposed by the World Health Organization, is fundamental to older people's health. The present study examined potential models explaining the association between IC and quality of life (QoL) among older people in Taiwan. Frailty, basic activities of daily living (BADL), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) were hypothesized to be mediators in the association between IC and QoL.

Long Dosing Intervals of Parenteral Antiosteoporosis Medications and the Decrease in Societal Fracture Risk: An 11-Year Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between different dosing intervals of antiosteoporosis medications (AOMs) and the subsequent fracture risk among patients with newly initiated AOM therapies.

Patients And Methods: In a nationwide population-based cohort study based on Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, osteoporosis patients with 50 years of age or older who newly initiated AOM from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2018 (n=336,229) were included. We categorized AOMs into short dosing intervals (oral AOMs) or long dosing intervals (parenteral AOMs).

Feasibility and Psychometric Properties of Integrated Care for Older People Screening Tool for Taiwanese (ICOPES-TW) Cognitive Screening Test.

Background: Intrinsic capacity, a concept proposed by the World Health Organization, includes multidimensions to better understand older adults' health conditions for successful healthy aging. One of the key dimensions of intrinsic capacity is cognition. The present study aimed to examine if the cognitive test in Integrated Care for Older People Screening Tool for Taiwanese (ICOPES-TW) is a suitable instrument for screening cognition impairment.

5 G new radio fiber-wireless converged systems by injection locking multi-optical carrier into directly-modulated lasers.

The integration of fiber-optical wireless convergence with fifth generation new radio is crucial in building high-performance access networks. This approach not only provides high-transmission-rates but also ensures broad coverage, which is vital for future networks. Here we report fifth generation new radio fiber-wireless converged systems by injection locking multi-optical carrier into directly-modulated lasers.

Comparative accuracy of CA-153 and KL-6 as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for interstitial lung disease.

Backgrounds: To discern the potential of KL-6 and CA-153 as diagnostic tools for interstitial lung disease (ILD), understand their relationship with GAP (Gender, Age, and Physiology) stage, and analyze their predictive capacities alongside CT features. This research aims to enhance ILD detection and management in autoimmune patients, emphasizing the diagnostic utility of these biomarkers.

Methods: From Mar 2017 to Mar 2024, 398 patients from Taichung Veterans General Hospital's Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology with autoimmune diseases were prospectively enrolled.

Neurodevelopmental disorders in children born to mothers involved in maternal motor vehicle crashes.

Background: To evaluate the association between maternal MVCs during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs, including intellectual disability, ADHD, ASD, and infantile cerebral palsy) in children.

Methods: This population-based cohort of live births in Taiwan was analyzed, comparing children born to mothers involved in MVCs during pregnancy with those without such exposure. Children were linked to the insurance database to identify the possible diagnosis of NDDs.

Survival After the Diagnosis of Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease Dementia: A 15-Year National Cohort Study in Taiwan.

Objectives: Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are mostly designed for patients with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia. Long-term case management and planning for the remainder of life with disability require an estimation of the survival duration.

Methods: This cohort study utilized data from the National Health Insurance Research Database, Taiwan, to identify incident cases of mild-to-moderate AD dementia diagnosed from 2000 to 2002, followed through December 31, 2017.

Inclusion of blood pressure parameter increases predictive capability of severe obstructive sleep apnea: A decision tree approach.

Few studies included objective blood pressure (BP) to construct the predictive model of severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This study used binary logistic regression model (BLRM) and the decision tree method (DTM) to constructed the predictive models for identifying severe OSA, and to compare the prediction capability between the two methods. Totally 499 adult patients with severe OSA and 1421 non-severe OSA controls examined at the Sleep Medicine Center of a tertiary hospital in southern Taiwan between October 2016 and April 2019 were enrolled.

Long-Term Sulfonylurea Use and Impaired Awareness of Hypoglycemia Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in Taiwan.

Purpose: We undertook a study to investigate the relationship between duration of medication use and prevalence of impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) among patients with insulin-treated or sulfonylurea-treated type 2 diabetes in Taiwan.

Methods: A total of 898 patients (41.0% insulin users, 65.

Cushing's Syndrome is Associated with a Higher Risk of Cancer - A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Context: Patients with Cushing's syndrome (CS) have higher risk of obesity and diabetes, which are important risk factors of cancers. However, if patients with CS have a higher incidence of cancer remains unknown.

Objective: To investigate if endogenous CS is associated with increased cancer incidence.

Unveiling long COVID symptomatology, co-occurrence trends, and symptom distress post SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: Long COVID, an emerging public health issue, is characterized by persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study aims to explore the relationship between post-COVID-19 symptomatology and patient distress employing Latent Class Analysis to uncover symptom co-occurrence patterns and their association with distress.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey among 240 participants from a university and affiliated hospital of southern Taiwan.

Assessing intrinsic capacity in Taiwan: Initial psychometric properties of the Integrated Care for Older People Screening Tool for Taiwanese (ICOPES-TW).

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) proposed the concept of intrinsic capacity (comprising composite physical and mental capacity) which aligns with their concepts of healthy aging and functional ability. Consequently, the WHO promotes the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework as guidance for geriatric care. Consequently, each government should have a screening tool corresponding to ICOPE framework to promote geriatric care.

The Effectiveness of 23-valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine on Elderly Colorectal Cancer Long-Term Survivors: A population-based exact-matched cohort study.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) long-term survivor is a rapid enlarging group. However, the effectiveness of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) on this group is unknown. This nationwide population-based study in Taiwan was designed to examine the effect of PPSV23 on incidence rate ratio (IRR) of pneumonia hospitalization, cumulative incidence, and overall survival rate for these long-term CRC survivors.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of HIV transmission risk behaviors, genetic variations, and antiretroviral (ARV) resistance in LGBT populations.

Background: Currently, human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has become one of the major health problems worldwide, including Indonesia. East Java is one of the provinces in Indonesia with the highest prevalence of HIV infection. One of the causes of HIV infection transmission is lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) practice.

Support for a hypothetical sugar-sweetened beverage tax in Taiwan.

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are drinks that contain added sugar or sweeteners and provide calories with no additional nutrients, and some countries have imposed additional taxes on the SSBs to reduce consumption, which is considered an SSB tax policy. This study used a cross-sectional online survey to examine the patterns of public support for an SSB tax in Taiwan. The sample included 1617 adults aged ≥ 20 years, who answered the survey questionnaire between May 2020 and April 2021.