Association between allergic diseases, generalized anxiety disorder, and depressive symptoms in South Korean adolescents: a secondary data analysis of the 2022 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Purpose@#This study investigated the relationship between allergic diseases, general anxiety disorder, and depressive symptoms among Korean adolescents. @*Methods@#A secondary analysis was conducted on the findings of the 18th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2022). The study included 51,850 adolescents and analyzed the relationships among allergic diseases, general anxiety disorder, and depressive symptoms using complex samples logistic regression analysis. @*Results@#Among the Korean adolescents, 12.7% experienced general anxiety disorder, while 28.7% experienced depressive symptoms. The prevalence of allergic diseases was 5.7% for asthma, 36.3% for allergic rhinitis, and 22.2% for atopic dermatitis. General anxiety disorder was associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis but not atopic dermatitis. Depressive symptoms were associated asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. @*Conclusion@#Examining the correlation among allergic diseases, general anxiety disorder, and depressive symptoms in adolescents underscores the need for implementing suitable strategies. Moreover, when addressing general anxiety disorder and depressive symptoms in adolescents, it becomes crucial to consider the presence of allergic diseases.

Mediating Effect of Loneliness on Anxiety and Smartphone Overdependence among Korean Adolescents: Based on the 16th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Background@#This study aimed to determine the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between anxiety and smartphone overdependence among Korean adolescents. @*Methods@#This national cross-sectional secondary study used data from the 16th (2020) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The sample comprised 54,948 adolescents in middle and high schools. The mediating effects were analyzed using the procedure of Baron and Kenny and the Sobel test. @*Results@#Anxiety impacted both loneliness and smartphone overdependence (P<0.001). Additionally, loneliness was identified as a factor influencing smartphone overdependence (P<0.001). Loneliness demonstrated a statistically significant mediating effect in the relationship between anxiety and smartphone overdependence (P<0.001). @*Conclusions@#It was concluded that smartphone overdependence increases with the heightened maladaptive emotions of adolescents, such as anxiety and loneliness. These findings confirmed the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between anxiety and smartphone overdependence.

Comparison of the Outcomes between the Anterior and Transfibular Approaches in Ankle Arthrodesis / 대한족부족관절학회지

Purpose@#This study compared the clinical and radiology results of arthrodesis between the anterior and transfibular approaches with a lateral malleolar-saving procedure in ankle arthritis. @*Materials and Methods@#This study was a retrospective study of 31 cases who underwent ankle arthrodesis with the anterior approach (14 cases) and trans-fibular approach (17 cases). The remnant lateral malleolus was fixed during the trans-fibular procedure. The patients included 17 females and 14 males with a mean age of 57.2 (range 41~73) years; the mean follow-up was 30.4 (range 15~68) months. The clinical and radiology outcomes, including the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores, visual analog scale (VAS), and union time, were recorded. The complications and subjective satisfaction degrees were also recorded and compared between the two groups. @*Results@#Clinically, the preoperative mean AOFAS score and VAS in the anterior approach group were 39.3 and 7.4, respectively, which changed to 61.9 and 3.1 postoperatively. In the trans-fibular approach group, the mean AOFAS score and VAS increased from 36.6 to 64.2 and 7.1 to 2.4, respectively. On the other hand, no significant differences in the clinical results were observed between the two groups. The time to achieve union was 9.2 and 11.6 weeks in the anterior and transfibular approach groups, respectively. Three patients (21%) complained of tenderness and discomfort around the fibular tip in the anterior approach group, and seven patients (41%) showed a gap between the talus and remnant lateral malleolus in the trans-fibular approach group. @*Conclusion@#There was no difference in the clinical and radiological results between the anterior and transfibular approaches with a lateral malleolar saving procedure in ankle arthrodesis. Careful selection of the approach method according to the patient's preoperative condition is needed to prevent remnant discomfort or nonunion around the lateral malleolus.

Inguinal and Scrotal Diseases in Children and Adolescents

In children and adolescents, inguinal and scrotal diseases are relatively common, and imaging is very useful for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of these diseases. Therefore, it is important to understand the imaging findings of these diseases. In this article, we classify these diseases into small testes, cryptorchidism, patent processus vaginalis, acute scrotum pain, trauma, testicular tumors, and others and describe their characteristic findings.

Analysis of the Disposal Rate of Fresh Frozen Femoral Head in the Bone Bank of a Single Hospital / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Purpose@#This study analyzed the increase in disposal rate of femoral heads in the bone bank of a single hospital from medical disease and drug history, as assessed by the Korean health insurance review and assessment service. @*Materials and Methods@#The disposal rate and cause of 340 femoral heads were analyzed according to the regulations of the bone bank based on the standard model of the Ministry of food and drug safety. @*Results@#One hundred and seven (33%) of 323 femoral heads collected from 2009 to 2018, and 65 (46%) of 142 femoral heads collected from 2015 to 2018 were discarded. The most common causes were related to the history of dementia and the administration of radioisotope for nuclear medicine. @*Conclusion@#The current methods and screening tools can lead to errors in disposing of the available tissues in a bone bank. Thus, improved standards and screening methods are needed.

Effects and Development of an Experience-based Sex Education Program for Adjustment to Puberty in Upper Elementary Students

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop an experience-based sex education program to improve adjustment to puberty in elementary school students in the upper grades and to verify its effectiveness. METHODS: This study had a pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design. The subjects of this study were a total of 95 sixth-graders in Y city (experimental group: 48, control group: 47). The measurement variables were sexual knowledge, body image, self-esteem, and satisfaction with life. Four sessions of the experience-based sex education program to improve adjustment to puberty, consisting of 40 minutes per session, were provided to the experimental group. RESULTS: Children's sexual knowledge, self-esteem, and satisfaction with life in the experimental group, which participated in the experience-based sexual education program to improve adjustment to puberty, showed a significant increase compared to the control group. However, there was no statistically significant difference in body image. CONCLUSION: This study presents the development of an experience-based sex education program for adjustment to puberty to overcome the shortcomings of existing sex education programs that are limited to sexual knowledge and attitudes, and also verified that the sexual knowledge, self-esteem, and life satisfaction of the elementary school students who were provided with the program improved meaningfully.

Factors Affecting Contraceptive Use among Adolescent Girls in South Korea

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify contraceptive practices in adolescent girls in South Korea and predictors of contraceptive practices. METHODS: The study sample included 743 girls who had experienced sexual activity. Using statistics from the 12th (2016) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The contraceptive practice rate for adolescent girls was 34%. Contraceptive practice was associated with ‘age at first intercourse’ and ‘sexual intercourse after drinking’. For adolescent girls who had early sexual initiation and drank alcohol before sexual intercourse there was a tendency to reduce the practice of contraception. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to provide practical sex education to improve the practice of contraception in these adolescents. In addition, adolescent girls should be encourage to delay their first intercourse. The results of this study can also be used to develop education interventions regarding healthy sexuality behaviour including the practice of contraception.

Effect of Early Menarche on Sexual Experience among Korean High School Girls

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of early menarche on sexual experience among high school girls in South Korea. METHODS: The study sample was comprised of 16,286 high school girls. Using statistics from the 11th (2015) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Among the girls, 5.8% reported early menarche. Early menarche was associated with sexual experience (Odds Ratio (OR), 5.27; 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 4.11–6.77). Controlled for sociodemographic, emotional and health behavior characteristics, early menarche was associated with sexual experience (OR, 3.98; 95% CI, 3.04–5.21). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that early menarche predicts an increase in sexual experience among female adolescents. Therefore, health education programs and health policy for interventions to improve sexual health are required for girls who are expected to experience early menarche.

Mental Health and Health Risk Behaviors of Multicultural Adolescents according to Their Mothers' Native Country: Using Data from the 11th (2015) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey 2015

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the mental health and health risk behaviors of multicultural adolescents according to their mothers' native country. METHODS: For this study raw data from the 11th Youth Health Behavior Online Survey (2015) was examined. Mental health and health risk behaviors for 62,985 adolescents were analyzed according to their mothers' native country. Collected data were analyzed with the SPSS program using descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis, to which the complex sample design was applied. RESULTS: The odds ratio of depression in multicultural adolescents compared to Korean adolescents was 44.92 (CI: 5.77-349.59) for adolescents whose mothers came from Cambodia and 3.00 (CI: 1.57-5.76) for adolescents whose mothers came from North Korea. The odds ratio of attempted suicide was 14.73 (CI: 3.09-70.22) for adolescents whose mothers came from Cambodia and 8.63 (CI: 3.45-21.62) for adolescents whose mothers came from North Korea. The odds ratio of problematic drinking in multicultural adolescents was 7.47 (CI: 1.71-32.67) for adolescents whose mothers came from Mongolia. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that when planning a health promotion program for adolescents from multicultural families, a customized approach should be sought taking into account the characteristics of mothers' native country.

Operative Treatment of Pediatric Distal Forearm Bothbone Fracture

PURPOSE: Pediatric patients with distal forearm bothbone fractures of surgical indication were treated with the Kapandji reduction technique for radius and flexible intramedullary nail for ulna at our institution. The purpose of this study is to evaluate clinical and radiological results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From February 2012 to June 2014, we retrospectively evaluated 16 out of 18 cases with distal forearm bothbone fractures treated with the Kapandji reduction technique for radius and flexible intramedullary nail for ulna with at least 1-year follow-up. The average age at operation was 9.1 years (7-13 years). RESULTS: Adequate reduction for both radius and ulna was achieved for all cases, and none of the cases showed re-displacement until the last follow-up. Mean 6.6 weeks lapsed until bony union was observed for the radius. For the ulna, the mean was 6.5 weeks. All patients gained full wrist range of motion at the last visit. CONCLUSION: For pediatric distal forearm bothbone fractures, intrafocal Kapandji reduction and internal fixation with Kirschner wire for radius and reduction and internal fixation with a flexible intramedullary nail for ulna is the technique for handy reduction. Use of this technique can prevent re-displacement during the union process and achieve excellent clinical and radiologic results.

A Case of Asymptomatic Giant Right Atrial Aneurysm

A healthy 8 year old boy was referred to our hospital because of cardiomegaly on the chest X ray. No cardiac murmur was detected on chest examination and normal sinus rhythm was checked by electrocardiogram. The 2-D echocardiogram showed a huge dilated right atrium and a normal tricuspid valve and right ventricle. The findings of cardiac angiogram and MRI was compatible with the isolated giant right atrial aneurysm. For the prevention of atrial arrhythmia and thromboembolism, he underwent successful surgical reduction of the right atrium and cryoablation and the follow-up X ray showed no cardiomegaly.