Preliminary evaluation of the effect of revised reimbursement scheme in outpatient hemodialysis for medical aid recipients in Korea.

Background: South Korea has universal health coverage guaranteeing equitable healthcare for all. However, equity issues have been raised regarding hemodialysis reimbursement for medical aid recipients with chronic kidney disease. Physicians and civic groups demanded a revision of the discriminatory policy, and in response, the Ministry of Health and Welfare amended the hemodialysis case payment scheme.

Improved molecular identification of Strongyloides myopotami in nutrias using fecal samples.

Strongyloides myopotami is an intestinal nematode parasite of nutrias. Identification of S. myopotami is conducted based on the morphological characteristics of adult worms or cultured larvae.

An epidemic of cataract surgery in Korea: the effects of private health insurance on the National Health Insurance Service.

Objectives: In Korea, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) covers essential healthcare expenses, including cataract surgery. To address concerns that private health insurance (PHI) might have inflated the need for such procedures, we investigated the extent of the PHI-attributable increase in cataract surgery and its impact on NHIS-reimbursed expenses.

Methods: This retrospective, observational study uses nationwide claims data for cataract surgery from 2016 to 2020.

COVID-19 Mortality and Severity in Cancer Patients and Cancer Survivors.

Background: We aimed to investigate mortality, severity, and risk of hospitalization in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with cancer.

Methods: Data of all patients aged 40-79 years from the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency-COVID19-National Health Insurance Service who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2020 and March 31, 2022, in Korea were included. After 1:1 propensity score matching, 397,050 patients with cancer and 397,050 patients without cancer were enrolled in the main analysis.

Healthcare Utilization and Supportive Care Timing in South Korean People Living With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Background And Purpose: Despite the growing demands and challenges faced by patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in accessing healthcare services, our understanding of this access remains poor. This study aimed to investigate the healthcare utilization patterns and timing of nutritional and respiration support in patients with ALS in South Korea.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients diagnosed with ALS at a single tertiary hospital between 2016 and 2019 and followed up for 2 years.

Home-based supportive care in advanced cancer: systematic review.

Objectives: This study systematically reviewed the literature on the effect of home-based supportive care (HbSC) programmes on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: The research question 'Do home-based supportive care programmes for patients with advanced cancer improve their QoL?' was addressed. After registering the plan with PROSPERO (CRD42022341237), literature published from 1 January 1990 to 30 May 2023 was searched on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane database, CINAHL and Web of Science, and reviewed for inclusion based on predefined criteria.

Health Inequities in Cancer Incidence According to Economic Status and Regions Are Still Existed Even under Universal Health Coverage System in Korea: A Nationwide Population Based Study Using the National Health Insurance Database.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the level of health equity in relation to cancer incidence.

Materials And Methods: We used the National Health Insurance claims data of the National Health Insurance Service between 2005 and 2022 and annual health insurance and medical aid beneficiaries between 2011 and 2021 to investigate the disparities of cancer incidence. We calculated age-sex standardized cancer incidence rates by cancer and year according to the type of insurance and the trend over time using the annual percentage change.

Quantitative anatomy of the primary ossification center of the squamous part of temporal bone in the human fetus.

Detailed numerical data about the development of primary ossification centers in human fetuses may influence both better evaluation and early detection of skeletal dysplasias, which are associated with delayed development and mineralization of ossification centers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the medical literature to morphometrically analyze the primary ossification center of the squamous part of temporal bone in human fetuses based on computed tomography imaging. The present study offers a precise quantitative foundation for ossification of the squamous part of temporal bone that may contribute to enhanced prenatal care and improved outcomes for fetuses with inherited cranial defects and skeletodysplasias.

Mortality After Acute Coronary Syndrome in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection with Optimal Adherence: A Nationwide Study.

Background: There have been few studies on the outcome of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the era when antiretroviral therapy (ART) is generalized and most of them have achieved viral suppression. Using claims data, we aimed to assess the mortality after atherosclerotic cardiovascular events in people with HIV (PWH) who maintain optimal adherence to ART.

Materials And Methods: We used claims data from the National Health Insurance of the Korea to confirm newly diagnosed PWH from 2009 to 2019, and measured ART adherence.

Stakeholders' Perceptions Regarding Digital Therapeutics Reimbursement in South Korea: Qualitative Study.

Background: Digital therapeutics (DTx) are therapeutic interventions driven by software and directly provided to patients, allowing them to manage their health with ease in any setting. A growing interest in DTx has spurred a discussion concerning their reimbursement pathways. However, DTx are still at a premature stage, with insufficient evidence on effectiveness, efficiency, and safety.

Anatomy of the sacroiliac joint with relation to the lumbosacral trunk: Is there sufficient space for a two-hole plate?

Dislocations of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) are treated with iliosacral screws or anterior plating. The study aimed to investigate the course of the lumbosacral trunk with reference to SIJ and determine whether is there sufficient space for two screws through the sacrum while performing anterior plating. Sixty patients, who underwent an MRI of the lumbar spine were included in our study.

Validation of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Patient Health Questionnaire-2 in the General Korean Population.

Objective: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and PHQ-2 have not been validated in the general Korean population. This study aimed to validate and identify the optimal cutoff scores of the PHQ-9 and PHQ-2 in screening for major depression in the general Korean population.

Methods: We used data from 6,022 participants of the Korean Epidemiological Catchment Area Study for Psychiatric Disorders in 2011.

Risk Factors for the Prescription of Ineffective Antiviral Candidates for COVID-19 During the Early Pandemic Period in Korea.

Background: Although the evidence of treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changed rapidly, little is known about the patterns of potential pharmacological treatment during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea and the risk factors for ineffective prescription.

Methods: Using claims data from the Korean National Health Insurance System, this retrospective cohort study included admission episodes for COVID-19 from February to December 2020. Ineffective antiviral prescriptions for COVID-19 were defined as lopinavir/ritonavir (LPN/r) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) prescribed after July 2020, according to the revised National Institute of Health COVID-19 treatment guidelines.

Impact of COVID-19 on the End-of-Life Care of Cancer Patients Who Died in a Korean Tertiary Hospital: A Retrospective Study.

Purpose: Social distancing and strict visitor restrictions at hospitals have been national policies since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This has challenged the concept of a good death in comfort with the opportunity to say goodbye. Little is known about how these measures have influenced end-of-life (EOL) care among cancer patients who die in acute care hospitals.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among older adult Thai Muslim people: A case-control study.

The highest death toll during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand was among unvaccinated older adults. Deaths among older adults in Narathiwat Province were related to a lower COVID-19 vaccination rate. This study explored the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in a Muslim community with low vaccination rates.

The Risk Factors of COVID-19 Infection and Mortality among Older Adults in South Korea.

Background: This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and mortality among older adults in South Korea.

Methods: Using Korean National Health Insurance data from January 1, 2020, to March 31, 2022, we analyzed the impact of various factors, including age, comorbidity burden, and insurance type, on COVID-19 infection and mortality rates.

Results: Age was the most significant risk factor for mortality in older adults.

Epidemiology and characteristics of emergency department utilization by patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Korea from 2016 to 2020: A nationwide study.

Introduction/aims: Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) inevitably visit the emergency department (ED) due to their increased risk of respiratory failure and mobility limitations. However, nationwide data on ED visits by patients with ALS are limited. This study investigated the characteristics of patients with ALS-related ED visits.

Prospective, Long-Term Functional Outcomes of Extra-Osseous Talotarsal Stabilization (EOTTS) Using HyProCure in Adult Patients with Talotarsal Joint Instability: Assessment of Physical Activity and Patient Satisfaction.

Background: The partial dislocation of the talus from the calcaneus and navicular bones is a primary factor leading to a prolonged overpronation during weightbearing. This study aimed to assess the possibility of returning to physical activity and long-term patient satisfaction after an extra-osseous talotarsal stabilization (EOTTS) procedure with a HyProCure sinus tarsi implant for partial talotarsal joint dislocation (TTJ).

Methods: A total of 41 adult patients (61 feet), with an average age of 46.

Preferred versus Actual Place of Care and Factors Associated with Home Discharge among Korean Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Respecting the preference for a place of care is essential for advance care planning in patients with advanced cancer. This retrospective study included adult patients with cancer referred to an inpatient palliative care consultation team at a tertiary acute care hospital in South Korea between April 2019 and December 2020. Patients' preference for place of care and demographic and clinical factors were recorded, and the actual discharge locations were categorized as home or non-home.

Trends in National Pharmaceutical Expenditure in Korea during 2011 - 2020.

Background: This study aimed to identify the trends in pharmaceutical expenditure (PE), share of PE in health expenditure (HE), and trends in expenditure by pharmacological groups (ATC level 1 classification) in Korea for a 10-year period (2011 - 2020) and compare the data with those of other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Using the findings, we determined the current status of pharmaceutical expenditure (PE) management in Korea and derived the implications for establishing future macroscopic policies on PE.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed the OECD Health Statistics and the Korean national health insurance claims database from January 2011 through December 2020.

The association between the risk perceptions of COVID-19, trust in the government, political ideologies, and socio-demographic factors: A year-long cross-sectional study in South Korea.

Risk perception research, targeting the general public, necessitates the study of the multi-faceted aspects of perceived risk through a holistic approach. This study aimed to investigate the association between the two dimensions of risk perception of COVID-19, i.e.

Ethical Issues Referred to Clinical Ethics Support at a University Hospital in Korea: Three-Year Experience After Enforcement of Life-Sustaining Treatment Decisions Act.

Background: Clinical ethics support is a form of preventive ethics aimed at mediating ethics-related conflicts and managing ethical issues arising in the healthcare setting. However, limited evidence exists regarding the specific ethical issues in clinical practice. This study aimed to explore the diverse ethical issues of cases referred to clinical ethics support after the new legislation on hospice palliative care and end-of-life decision-making was implemented in Korea in 2018.

COVID-19 vaccination, incidence, and mortality rates among individuals with mental disorders in South Korea: A nationwide retrospective study.

We examined COVID-19 vaccination, incidence, and mortality rates among patients with mental health disorders in South Korea from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2021. The study found that individuals with mental disorders had higher COVID-19 incidence and mortality than those without. Patients with mood disorders had higher vaccination rates and COVID-19 incidence and mortality than those without mental disorders.