Factors Associated with Long-Term Dietary Supplement Use among Korean Breast Cancer Survivors: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE: The factors associated with the dietary supplement (DS) use of Asian breast cancer survivors in consideration of the duration of use and types of DS have not been well established. METHODS: We recruited 693 Korean female breast cancer survivors at two university-affiliated hospitals and collected study data through a self-administered questionnaire and a review of medical records. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the multivariable-adjusted association between DS use and study variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of any (≥2 weeks) and long-term (≥6 months) DS use among study participants was 48.2% and 12.0%, respectively. Education level, alcohol use, adequate physical activity (≥150 min/week), and time lapse after cancer diagnosis were positively associated with any DS use. Among DS users, as compared with short-term (≥2 weeks and <6 months) users, long-term users were more likely to have a higher cancer stage, more diverse cancer treatment modalities, a shorter time since cancer diagnosis, and lower fear of cancer recurrence. When we repeated the analysis for each DS type, time lapse after cancer diagnosis showed a consistently inverse association with long-term use of the most frequently consumed DS (multivitamins, followed by vitamin D/calcium, vitamin C, and omega-3). The number of cancer treatment modalities was positively associated with the long-term use of multivitamins and vitamin D/calcium. Alcohol consumption and low bone mineral density were positively associated with long-term vitamin D/calcium use. CONCLUSIONS: The factors associated with DS use differed by the duration of DS use and specific DS type. Long-term DS use was more frequently associated with cancer-related factors.

Factors Associated with Dietary Habit Changes in Korean Stomach Cancer Survivors after Cancer Treatment.

The current nutritional guidelines for stomach cancer survivors (SCSs) mainly focus on the influence of the surgical resection of the stomach, with limited guidance regarding a wider range of food options. We aimed to investigate the factors associated with healthier dietary changes in Korean adult SCSs. This cross-sectional study assessed dietary pattern changes after cancer treatment for 11 food categories, using a self-administered questionnaire. A 'healthier dietary change' was operationally defined as a reduced consumption of red and processed meat, grains, salt, and burnt food, and an increased consumption of poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and dairy products. Among a total of 624 SCSs, approximately 60% of participants reported dietary changes in a healthier direction in three or more food categories, while 9.1% reported no changes. There was no significant difference in dietary habit changes between surgery types. Multivariable adjusted analysis showed that elderly and long-term survivors were inversely associated with a healthier dietary change. SCSs with a higher level of educational achievement and income were more likely to make healthier changes in their intake of processed meat, vegetables, fruits, burnt food, or salt. SCSs with higher levels of fear of cancer recurrence, anxiety, or depression were more likely to follow healthier dietary changes regarding fish, meat, fruits, grains, or burnt food. Change in dietary pattern varied across different food items, and was associated with various characteristics of SCSs. It is crucial to repeatedly provide SCSs with information about healthier dietary patterns, considering their sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological characteristics.

Association between Prehospital Visits and Poor Health Outcomes in Korean Acute Stroke Patients: A National Health Insurance Claims Data Study.

This study aimed to determine whether prehospital visits to other medical institutions before admission are associated with prolonged hospital stay, readmission, or mortality rates in acute stroke patients. Using the claims data from the Korean Health Insurance Service, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 58,418 newly diagnosed stroke patients aged ≥ 20 years from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019. Extended hospital stay (≥7 days; median value) following initial admission, readmission within 180 days after discharge, and all-cause mortality within 30 days were measured as health outcomes using multiple logistic regression analysis after adjusting for age, sex, income, residential area, and medical history. Stroke patients with a prehospital visit (10,992 patients, 18.8%) had a higher risk of long hospitalization (odds ratio = 1.06; 95% confidence interval = 1.02-1.10), readmission (1.19; 1.14-1.25), and mortality (1.23; 1.13-1.33) compared with patients without a prehospital visit. Female patients and those under 65 years of age had increased unfavorable outcomes (p < 0.05). Prehospital visits were associated with unfavorable health outcomes.

Sex and Economic Disparity Related to Reperfusion Therapies for Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke in South Korea across a 10-Year Period: A Nationwide Population-Based Study Using the National Health Insurance Database.

A complete enumeration study was conducted to evaluate trends related to reperfusion therapies (intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and endovascular treatment (EVT)) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in South Korea, according to sex, economic status, and age, over a 10-year period retrospectively, using the National Health Information Database (NHIS-2020-1-481). This study included AIS patients aged ≥20 years who were hospitalized in a general hospital or tertiary hospital for ≥4 days and underwent brain imaging during the same period. Study participants were classified by sex, economic status (Medical Aid beneficiaries and National Health Insurance beneficiaries) and age (20-44, 45-64, 65-79, and ≥80 years). Women showed a significantly lower OR (Odds ratio) than men in IVT (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.73-0.77), EVT (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.93-0.99), and any therapy (OR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.80-0.84). The Medical Aid beneficiaries showed significantly lower OR in IVT (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.88-0.95), EVT (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.89-0.98), and either therapy (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.90-0.95) than the National Health Insurance beneficiaries. This study showed sex and economic disparity related to reperfusion therapies in patients with AIS in Korea.

Efficacy and Safety of the Cudrania tricuspidata Extract on Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Multicenter Study.

Cudrania tricuspidata is a folk remedy used to treat inflammation in patients with tumors or liver damage. This study investigated the efficacy of Cudrania tricuspidata extract (CTE) for relieving the symptoms of functional dyspepsia. In an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 100 adults with any condition featured in the Rome IV criteria and a Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scale (GIS) score ≥4 were randomly allocated to take either a placebo (maltodextrin) or a 50 mg CTE tablet, which equally included celluloses, magnesium stearate, and silicon dioxide, twice daily, 20 January 2020, and 3 August 2020. Among the 83 participants finally analyzed, the CTE group was associated with a significant reduction in the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (day 0: 8.0 ± 5.2, day 28: 4.7 ± 3.9, and day 56: 2.3 ± 2.4, p < 0.001, respectively) in comparison with the control group (day 0: 8.1 ± 4.7, day 28: 7.8 ± 5.7, and day 56: 7.5 ± 6.6, p > 0.05) after adjusting for smoking, drinking, eating habits, stress levels, and caffeine intake. The CTE group resulted in significant improvements of GIS, Nepean Dyspepsia Index (Korean version), and functional dyspepsia-related quality of life over time. There were no different adverse events (p = 0.523). These findings suggest that CTE is safe and efficacious for alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia.

Development of a senior-specific, citizen-oriented healthcare service system in South Korea based on the Canadian 48/6 model of care.

BACKGROUND: In the age of aging, Korea's current medical delivery system threatens to increase the number of medical and caring refugees. This study attempts to develop an integrated senior citizen-oriented healthcare service system in which daily care, professional care, and rehabilitation are organically organized between medical institutions and local communities, thereby meeting the daily life needs of the elderly and inducing well-being, wellness, and well-dying. METHODS: To develop the integrated healthcare system, data collection and analyses were conducted through a systematic review, literature review, benchmarking, focus group interviews, and expert consultation. RESULTS: The senior-specific, citizen-oriented healthcare service system developed in this study is designed to screen patients aged 65 or older within 24 h of being admitted, using the Geriatric Screening for Care-10. If there is reason for concern as a result of the screening, further evaluation is performed through assessment. Doctors and nurses create a care plan and a discharge plan based on the results from the screening and assessment. The nurse further uses the screening to monitor the patient's condition before discharge. Based on the screening results at the time of discharge, a transitional care plan is prepared and provided to elderly patients and/or their families. This process enables a systematic link between medical institutions and community resources, aiming for the continuous management of health issues. It also establishes a multidisciplinary treatment plan that considers patients and their families so that diseases common to the elderly are diagnosed and treated promptly. CONCLUSIONS: The most important issue for the elderly is to be able to live healthily and independently for the rest of their lives through well-being, wellness, and well-dying. The senior-specific, citizen-oriented healthcare service proposed in this study is an integrated medical treatment system for elderly users the implementation of which requires the daily care, professional care, and rehabilitation of elderly members of society to be organically organized according to the role of the patients, their families, and the caregiver.