Utilizing Artificial Neural Networks for Establishing Hearing-Loss Predicting Models Based on a Longitudinal Dataset and Their Implications for Managing the Hearing Conservation Program.

Background: Though the artificial neural network (ANN) technique has been used to predict noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), the established prediction models have primarily relied on cross-sectional datasets, and hence, they may not comprehensively capture the chronic nature of NIHL as a disease linked to long-term noise exposure among workers.

Methods: A comprehensive dataset was utilized, encompassing eight-year longitudinal personal hearing threshold levels (HTLs) as well as information on seven personal variables and two environmental variables to establish NIHL predicting models through the ANN technique. Three subdatasets were extracted from the afirementioned comprehensive dataset to assess the advantages of the present study in NIHL predictions.

Regional inequalities in excess mortality and its community determinants during the early COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.

Background: Excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic provides a comprehensive measure of disease burden, and its local variation highlights regional health inequalities. We investigated local excess mortality in 2020 and its determinants at the community level.

Methods: We collected data from 250 districts in South Korea, including monthly all-cause mortality for 2015-2020 and community characteristics from 2019.

Public Support for Tobacco Endgame Policies: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Introductions: An increasing number of countries are adopting the tobacco endgame goal. High levels of public support can accelerate momentum towards implementing tobacco endgame policies. We aimed to conduct a systematic review of public support for tobacco endgame policies and to examine the geographical distribution of studies, support among key populations (adolescents and young adults, people who smoke), and the association between survey design and support.

Burden and preparedness of care partners of people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at home in Korea: A care partner survey.

Introduction/aims: The care burden of people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (pALS) increases with disease progression. This study aimed to investigate the home care status and preparedness of care partners of pALS (cALS) in Korea.

Methods: An online survey was conducted with family care partners of patients diagnosed with ALS for over 1 year in 2022.

Impact of COVID-19 on healthcare utilization among chronic disease patients in South Korea.

Background: From 2020 to 2022, South Korea has experienced significant direct and indirect damage because of the coronavirus pandemic. Preventive measures aimed at controlling the spread of the virus have inadvertently limited healthcare accessibility for patients without COVID-19, leading to detrimental consequences, particularly for patients with chronic diseases. Hence, there is a growing need to comprehensively examine the changes in healthcare utilization among patients with chronic diseases owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the associated factors and health outcomes.

National Smoking Cessation Services (NSCS) enrollment and their effect on long-term tobacco cessation in Korea: Results from a 1-year prospective follow-up of NSCS participants.

Introduction: The study aimed to identify predictors associated with long-term tobacco cessation at 12-month follow-up among users of the National Smoking Cessation Services (NSCS) in Korea.

Methods: To measure the long-term effect of NSCS delivery, the target sample size of 5167 adult smokers registered in the NSCS in 2018 was enrolled with proportional random sampling. A multiple logistic regression analysis (crude, adjusted) was performed to identify the changes in smoking status at the 12-month follow-up after the last NSCS enrollment and the potential factors associated with changes in smoking status.

Association between ambient particulate matter levels and hypertension: results from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study.

Background: Recently, there has been increasing worldwide concern about outdoor air pollution, especially particulate matter (PM), which has been extensively researched for its harmful effects on the respiratory system. However, sufficient research on its effects on cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, remains lacking. In this study, we examine the associations between PM levels and hypertension and hypothesize that higher PM concentrations are associated with elevated blood pressure.

Predicted Cervical Cancer Prevention: Impact of National HPV Vaccination Program on Young Women in South Korea.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the national human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program of South Korea among its entire female population, particularly among younger age groups.

Materials And Methods: We first predicted the incidence of cervical cancer over the next 20 years (2021-2040) using the Nordpred package based on Møller's age-period-cohort model under several scenarios for the national HPV vaccination program. We calculated the potential impact fractions and proportional differences under the current national vaccination programs, and alternative scenarios using the no-vaccination assumption as a reference.

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.

Use of geographically weighted regression models to inform retail endgame strategies in South Korea: application to cigarette and ENDS prevalence.

Background: Reducing tobacco retailer availability is a key tobacco endgame policy. The development and evaluation of retail-based policies require spatial methodologies. We modelled the prevalence of adult cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) use according to tobacco retailer density, considering geographical variations.

Environment-wide association study of elevated liver enzymes: results from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey 2018-2022.

Background: Environmental exposure is characterized by low concentration, chronic, and complex exposure. Traditional epidemiological studies show limitations in reflecting these characteristics since they usually focus on a single or very limited number of exposure factors at a time. In this study, we adopted the methodology of environment-wide association study (EWAS) to figure out the association of human liver function with various environmentally hazardous substances.

Circulating Vitamin D Level and Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death and Cardiovascular Mortality: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.

Background: We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to analyze the effect of circulating vitamin D level on the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

Methods: Prospective cohort studies evaluating the association between circulating vitamin D and risk of SCD and CVD mortality were systematically searched in the PubMed and Embase. Extracted data were analyzed using a random effects model and results were expressed in terms of hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

How Neighborhood Structural and Individual Characteristics Affect Frailty Progression: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

Objectives: (1) To characterize the average trajectories of frailty over time in Chinese community-dwelling older adults; (2) To assess the effects of neighborhood structural and individual characteristics on frailty progression.

Design: A nationally representative prospective cohort study.

Setting: Communities in 28 provinces, China.

Vision for tobacco endgame in Korea: suggestions for countries with endgame aspirations.

Tobacco endgame is a focal point of discussion at both national and international levels. We aimed to describe efforts related to achieving the tobacco endgame in the Republic of Korea, an exemplar of a country with endgame aspirations, and compare them with the efforts of other nations. We reviewed the tobacco endgame efforts of three nations considered tobacco control leaders: New Zealand (NZ), Australia and Finland.

Impact of Awareness Time Interval on the Effect of Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation on Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Nationwide Study.

Purpose: The awareness time interval (ATI), the time from the witnessed event to emergency medical service (EMS) activation, is an important factor influencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) outcomes. Since bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR) is provided after cardiac arrest is recognized, the effect of BCPR may vary depending on ATI delay. We aimed to investigate whether ATI modifies the effect of BCPR on OHCA outcomes.

Perceived barriers to the process of COVID-19 control among frontline healthcare workers in South Korea: a qualitative study.

Objective: This study aimed to explore barriers to disease control perceived by frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) working in community settings during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.

Design: A qualitative study was conducted using semistructured focus group interviews. All interviews were conducted in Korean on Zoom between October and November 2020, audio-recorded and transcribed for reflexive thematic analysis.

COVID-19 Testing: A Qualitative Study Exploring Enablers and Barriers in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis and has reaffirmed that extensive testing along with effective tracing is still crucial to slowing transmission of the COVID-19 virus despite the rolling out of vaccines. This study explored enablers and barriers to COVID-19 testing in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. We envision lessons learned from this study could serve as a road map to strengthen the current response to COVID-19 and preparedness for future outbreaks, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Is limited access to obstetric services associated with adverse birth outcomes? A cross-sectional study of Korean national birth data.

Objectives: The geographical disparity in the access to essential obstetric services is a public health issue in many countries. We explored the association between timely access to obstetric services and the individual risk of adverse birth outcomes.

Design: Repeated cross-sectional design.

Factors influencing COVID-19 testing: a qualitative study in Bhutan.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has reaffirmed an all-knowing truth-that health is central in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. To fully control the infection in a community, accurate testing of suspected cases along with effective tracing and appropriate treatment (3Ts) is still crucial to slowing transmission of COVID-19 virus This study explored factors that influenced COVID-19 testing in Bhutan. The lessons learned from this study could serve as a roadmap to strengthen the current respond to COVID-19 and for future outbreaks, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Area-based inequalities and distribution of healthcare resources for managing diabetes in South Korea: a cross-sectional multilevel analysis.

Objectives: We aimed to identify area-based socioeconomic inequalities in diabetes management and to examine whether the distribution of healthcare resources could explain area-based inequalities in diabetes management.

Design: Cross-sectional multilevel analysis from national survey data.

Setting And Participants: Data were derived from the 2018 Korean Community Health Survey.

Development of Korean Version Burnout Syndrome Scale (KBOSS) Using WHO's Definition of Burnout Syndrome.

Background: Burnout syndrome (BOS) is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. This study aims to create the Korean version burnout syndrome scale (KBOSS) that conforms to WHO's definition of BOS and present the cut-off points for screening.

Methods: We developed the KBOSS based on WHO's definition of BOS.

Association of phthalates and early menarche in Korean adolescent girls from Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) 2015-2017.

Background: Phthalates are one of renowned endocrine-disrupting chemicals, although inconsistent results are present around their effect on onset of menarche. Our hypothesis is that pre-pubertal exposure to phthalates is associated with acceleration of menarche.

Methods: We analyzed a total of 236 middle school (7th to 9th grade) girls from Korean National Environmental Health Survey 20152017.

Perceived sources of occupational burn-out and embitterment among front-line health workers for COVID-19 control in Gyeonggi province, South Korea: a qualitative study.

Objectives: Front-line health workers (FHWs) for COVID-19 control in South Korea have implemented a labour-intensive contact tracing programme, which places them at high risk for mental health problems. However, a few studies have examined mental health conditions in this population. We employed a qualitative approach to understand the factors perceived as causes of burn-out and embitterment among temporary FHWs to provide recommendations for supporting the workforce.

Environmental exposure to asbestos and the risk of lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Asbestos is a carcinogen associated with lung cancer, but few studies have examined the increased risk of lung cancer due to environmental asbestos exposure. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between environmental asbestos exposure and lung cancer. We searched for articles on non-occupational or environmental asbestos exposure and lung cancer in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL and Web of Science databases.