Is avoidable diabetes-related hospitalization in older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus associated with increased health expenditure?: A nationwide retrospective cohort study in South Korea.

Objective: With South Korea's population aging rapidly, the number of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is expected to rise, leading to worsened health outcomes and potentially straining healthcare financing. This study aimed to investigate how avoidable diabetes-related hospitalizations affect short- and long-term health expenditures.

Methods: Data from the National Health Insurance Service-Senior cohort from 2008 to 2019 in South Korea.

Comparison of the risk of noise-induced hearing loss between male police officers and male non-police officers: a nationwide cohort study using propensity score matching in South Korea.

Background: Police officers are at a high risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) owing to the nature of their work. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the risk of NIHL in police officers and controls.

Methods: This study used the National Health Insurance claims data of workers aged 25-65 years obtained from 2005 to 2015.

Health expenditure trajectory and gastric cancer incidence in the National Health Insurance Senior Cohort: a nested case-control study.

Background: Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer and highly prevalent in South Korea. As one of the predictors of gastric cancer, we focused on health utilization patterns and expenditures, as the surrogate variables of health conditions. This nested case-control study aimed to identify the association between health expenditure trajectory and incidence of gastric cancer.

Trajectory of medical expenditure and regional disparities in hypertensive patients in South Korea.

The aim of this study is to understand how different regions influence the management and financial burden of hypertension, and to identify regional disparities in hypertension management and medical expenditure. The study utilized data from the Korean Health Panel Survey conducted between 2014 and 2018, focusing on individuals with hypertension. Medical expenditures were classified into three trajectory groups: "Persistent Low," "Expenditure Increasing," and "Persistent High" over a five-year period using trajectory analysis.

Prediction of hospital-acquired influenza using machine learning algorithms: a comparative study.

Background: Hospital-acquired influenza (HAI) is under-recognized despite its high morbidity and poor health outcomes. The early detection of HAI is crucial for curbing its transmission in hospital settings.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate factors related to HAI, develop predictive models, and subsequently compare them to identify the best performing machine learning algorithm for predicting the occurrence of HAI.

Impacts of Smoking Ban Policies on Billiard Hall Sales in South Korea Using Objective Sales Information of a Credit Card Company: Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background: Smoking ban policies (SBPs) are potent health interventions and offer the potential to influence antismoking behavior. The Korean government completely prohibited smoking in indoor sports facilities, including billiard halls, since the government revised the National Health Promotion Act in December 2017.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the impact of the SBP on the economic outcomes of indoor sports facilities, particularly billiard halls.

Disparities of health expenditure associated with the experience of admission in long-term care hospital among patients with colorectal cancer in South Korea: A generalized estimating equation.

With rising concerns about the functional role of long-term care hospitals in the Korean medical system, this study aimed to observe the experience of admission in the long-term care hospitals and their association with medical expenditures among patients with colorectal cancer, and to investigate disparities among vulnerable populations. Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Senior Cohort Database in South Korea for the period 2008-2019. With 6,305 patients newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 2008 and 2015, we conducted a regression analysis using the Generalized Estimating Equation model with gamma distribution to investigate the association between health expenditure and the experience of long-term care hospitals.

Disparity of Bladder Cancer Incidence Among Male Workers Across Industries: A Population Based Cohort Study From South Korea.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the bladder cancer risk across workers' industries.

Methods: This study was conducted using Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Workers were included in this study to build a retrospective cohort of the entire working population.

Cancer Incidence in Korean Healthcare Workers in Hospitals.

Objectives: Healthcare workers in hospitals (HHCWs), a notably increasing workforce, face various occupational hazards. A high incidence of cancer among HHCWs has been observed; however, the cancer incidence status among HHCWs in South Korea is yet to be studied. This study aimed to assess cancer incidence among HHCWs in South Korea.

Influence of COVID-19-Related Interventions on the Number of Inpatients with Acute Viral Respiratory Infections: Using Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

After the first COVID-19 patient was diagnosed, non-pharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing and behavior change campaigns were implemented in South Korea. The social distancing policy restricted unnecessary gatherings and activities to prevent local transmission. This study aims to evaluate the effect of social distancing, a strategy for COVID-19 prevention, on the number of acute respiratory infection inpatients.

Regional Health Disparities in Hypertension-Related Hospitalization of Hypertensive Patients: A Nationwide Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study.

This study aims to explore regional health disparities in hypertension-related hospitalizations and confirm this difference according to the states of continuity of care (COC). We used the National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort data from 2002 to 2019. The dependent variable, hypertension-related hospitalization, included hospitalization for hypertensive diseases (I10-I13, I15), ischemic heart disease (I20-I25), and cerebrovascular disease (I60-I69).

Comparison of the risks of occupational diseases, avoidable hospitalization, and all-cause deaths between firefighters and non-firefighters: A cohort study using national health insurance claims data.

Objectives: National Health Insurance claims data were used to compare the incidence of occupational diseases, avoidable hospitalization, and all-cause death standardized incidence ratio and hazard ratio between firefighters and non-firefighters.

Methods: The observation period of the study was from 2006 to 2015 and a control group (general workers and national and regional government officers/public educational officers) and a firefighter group was established. The dependent variables were occupational diseases, avoidable hospitalization (AH), and all-cause death.

Respiratory Tract Cancer Incidences across Industry Groups: A Nationwide Cohort Study with More Than 70 Million Person-Years of Follow-Up.

The number of cases and incidence rates of laryngeal and lung cancers have been increasing globally. Therefore, identifying the occupational causes of such cancers is an important concern for policymakers to prevent cancers and deaths. We used national health insurance service claims data in Korea.

Effect of COVID-19-Related Interventions on the Incidence of Infectious Eye Diseases: Analysis of Nationwide Infectious Disease Incidence Monitoring Data.

Social distancing has been confirmed to reduce the incidence of not only the COVID-19, but also the incidence of other diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of social distancing policies on the incidence of infectious eye diseases by monitoring their nationwide incidence data in all age groups. In this study, to analyse the impact of COVID-19 policy on IEDSC, the time periods were divided into two interventions.

Is Avoidable Hospitalization Experienced Prior to Infection Associated With COVID-19-Related Deaths?

This study aimed to determine the effect of the presence or absence of avoidable hospitalization before acquiring coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on COVID-19-related deaths. This study used the total NHIS-COVID-19 dataset comprising domestic COVID-19 patients, provided by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) in South Korea. We conducted logistic regression and double robust estimation (DRE) to confirm the effect of avoidable hospitalization on COVID-19-related deaths.

Chronic Disease Management for People With Hypertension.

To assess the effectiveness of continuity of care policies by identifying the impact of a chronic disease management program on the continuity of care in patients with hypertension in South Korea. The propensity score matching method was used to control selection bias, and the difference-in-differences method was used to compare the impact on the treatment and control groups according to the policy intervention. The continuity of care index of hypertensive patients using the difference-in-differences analysis outcome of the chronic disease management program was higher than that of the non-participating hypertensive patients.

Risk of Cerebro-Cardiovascular Diseases among Police Officers and Firefighters: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: Police officers and firefighters are exposed to risk factors for cerebro-cardiovascular diseases, and the actual risk is expected to increase compared with other occupational groups. The present study aimed to estimate the risks of cerebro-cardiovascular diseases in police officers and firefighters compared to other occupational groups.

Materials And Methods: Using the National Health Insurance Service data, we constructed a retrospective cohort of public officers.

Association between smokeless tobacco use and cigarette smoking amount by age.

Background: The use of smokeless tobacco has increased worldwide among young people. This study aimed to investigate the association between smokeless tobacco use and cigarette smoking amount in adult smoker groups stratified by age.

Method: 2013-2015 National Health Interview Survey was used.

Factors Associated With the Differences Between Self-Report Smoking and Urinary Cotinine Criteria.

During self-reporting, respondents underreport their smoking status for various reasons. We aimed to evaluate the difference between smoking status self-reporting and urinary cotinine tests in Korea respondents. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the differences between self-reporting and urinary cotinine criteria.

Relationship between the living-alone period and depressive symptoms among the elderly.

Objective: The study aims to understand the relationship between the living-alone period and depressive symptoms among the elderly in South Korea.

Methods: The study obtained data on the elderly over 65 years old from the 2006 to 2019 Korea Welfare Panel Study. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis was performed to understand changes in depressive symptoms over periods of living alone.

Association between lower urinary tract symptoms and cigarette smoking or alcohol drinking.

Background: Although there have been several studies about the relationship between alcohol or smoking and lower urinary tracts symptoms (LUTS). This study aimed to investigate the association between alcohol or smoking and severity of LUTS in men, as alcohol intake and cigarette smoking is important modifiable lifestyle factors for LUTS.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis has been performed and a total of 86,707 participants in Korean Community Health Survey were included for final analysis.

Subjective expectations for future and mortality among middle-aged and older adults.

The purpose of this study is to categorize various elements for the expectations for the future using factor analysis and identify association between categories of the subjective expectations for the future and mortality among middle-aged and older adults.Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging from 2006 to 2016 was assessed using longitudinal data analysis and 9,844 research subjects were included at baseline in 2006. Our modeling approach was based on Cox proportional hazards models for mortality.

Effect of Information Disclosure Policy on Control of Infectious Disease: MERS-CoV Outbreak in South Korea.

This study examined the effect of disclosing a list of hospitals with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) patients on the number of laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases in South Korea. MERS-CoV data from 20 May 2015 to 5 July 2015 were from the Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare website and analyzed using segmented linear autoregressive error models for interrupted time series. This study showed that the number of laboratory-confirmed cases was increased by 9.