Determinants of restaurant consumers' intention to practice COVID-19 preventive behavior: an application of the theory of planned behavior.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of knowledge about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control on behavioral intentions to practice COVID-19 preventive behaviors using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 519 restaurant customers' responses was collected in this study through an online self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on socio-demographic factors. One-way analysis of variance and t-test were conducted to determine differences in the constructs from the TPB according to age and sex. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). RESULTS: SEM revealed the positive effect of knowledge about COVID-19 on attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in restaurants. Attitude, subjective norm, behavior intention, and knowledge positively affected COVID-19 preventive behavior intentions in restaurants. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirmed that the TPB is helpful in elucidating the determinants of consumers' intention to practice COVID-19 preventive behavior in restaurants. These findings can help policy makers and professionals provide material for further public health interventions and inform them about awareness-raising, guidelines, and health education programs.

Customers' perception of the attributes of different formats of menu labeling: a comparison between Korea and the U.S.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study compared the perception of customers from Korea and the U.S. on the attributes of different formats of menu labeling The specific objectives were 1) to compare the customers' perceived usefulness, ease-of-understanding, clarity, and attractiveness of different formats of menu labeling between Korea and the U.S.; and 2) to compare the customers' use intention to different formats of menu labeling between Korea and the U.S. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A survey was conducted in Korea and the U.S. The participants were allocated randomly to view 1 of the 7 restaurant menus that varied according to the following types of menu labeling formats: (type 1) kcal format, (type 2) traffic-light format, (type 3) percent daily intake (%DI) format, (type 4) kcal + traffic-light format, (type 5) kcal + %DI format, (type 6) traffic-light + %DI format, and (type 7) kcal + traffic-light + %DI format. A total of 279 Koreans and 347 Americans were entered in the analysis. An independent t-test and 1-way analysis of variance were performed. RESULTS: Koreans rated type 4 format (kcal + traffic light) the highest for usefulness and attractiveness. In contrast, Americans rated type 7 (kcal + traffic light + %DI) the highest for usefulness, ease-of-understanding, attractiveness, and clarity. Significant differences were found in the customers' perceived attributes to menu labeling between Korea and the U.S. Americans perceived higher for all the 4 attributes of menu labeling than Koreans. CONCLUSIONS: The study is unique in identifying the differences in the attributes of different formats of menu labeling between Korea and the U.S. Americans rated the most complicated type of menu labeling as the highest perception for the attributes, and showed a higher use intention of menu labeling than Koreans. This study contributes to academia and industry for practicing menu labeling in different countries using different formats.

Application of the Health Belief Model to customers' use of menu labels in restaurants.

Some countries require the provision of menu labels on restaurant menus to fight the increasing prevalence of obesity and related chronic diseases. This study views customers' use of menu labels as a preventive health behavior and applies the Health Belief Model (HBM) with the aim of determining the health belief factors that influence customers' use of menu labels. A self-administered survey was distributed for data collection. Responses were collected from 335 restaurant customers who experienced menu labels in restaurants within three months prior to the survey. The results of a structural equation model showed that all the HBM variables (perceived threats, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers of using menu labels) positively affected the customers' use of menu labels. Perceived threats were influenced by cues to action and cues to action had an indirect influence on menu label use through perceived threats. In conclusion, health beliefs were good predictors of menu label use on restaurant menus. This study validated the application of the HBM to menu labeling in restaurants, and its findings could offer guidelines for the industry and government in developing strategies to expand the use of menu labels among the public.

Recurrent Ischemic Strokes with Progression of Middle Cerebral Artery Stenosis during HIV Treatment

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can result in ischemic stroke via several mechanisms, including opportunistic infection, vasculopathy, cardioembolism, and coagulopathy. HIV-vasculopathy is related to endothelial dysfunction, stenosis and aneurysm formation, infectious vasculitis, dissection and accelerated atherosclerosis during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). We represent a case of HIV infection manifested as an acute ischemic stroke attack. After 4 months during HAART, our patient experienced a recurrent ischemic stroke with progression of middle cerebral artery stenosis.

Simultaneous Occurrence of a Splenial Lesion and Downbeat Nystagmus Due to Lithium Neurotoxicity

No abstract available.

Two Bleeding Foci in a Mixed Vascular Malformation of the Brain

A cavernous angioma (CA) and a developmental venous anomaly may consist a mixed vascular malformation (MVM). Two bleeding foci were observed in a MVM of a man with epilepsy. The hemodynamic association between the two foci was not clear. An advance of neuroimaging may enhance the susceptibility of detection of MVMs. We should consider a MVM when a daughter bleeding focus occurs near the main bleeding focus associated with a CA.

Arterial Spin Labeling Perfusion MRI of Crossed Cerebellar Diaschisis in a Patient with Simple Partial Status Epilepticus

Crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD) is known to be due to a contralateral supratentorial lesion decreasing blood flow and the metabolism in a cerebellar hemisphere. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is an imaging technique that utilizes arterial blood water as a tracer for quantifying the regional cerebral blood flow in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This case was a patient with simple partial status epilepticus (SPSE) and CCD confirmed by ASL-perfusion MRI. Controlling the SPSE resulted in improvement of CCD being observed in the follow-up ASL-perfusion MRI.

Combined use of basal insulin analog and acarbose reduces postprandial glucose in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Early initiation of basal insulin therapy is recommended for normalizing fasting blood glucose in type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, basal insulin treatment might not adequately control postprandial glucose levels. The present study evaluated whether the combination of the α-glucosidase inhibitor, acarbose, and basal insulin improved blood glucose control under daily-life treatment conditions in a large sample of Korean patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was a multicenter, prospective, observational study under daily-life treatment conditions. A total of 539 patients with type 2 diabetes who were treated with basal insulin and additional acarbose were enrolled and followed up for 20 weeks. Changes in hemoglobin A1c, fasting and postprandial blood glucose were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the observation period. The physician and patient satisfaction of the combination treatment and safety were assessed. RESULTS: Hemoglobin A1c decreased by 0.55 ± 1.05% from baseline (P < 0.0001). Fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels were reduced by 0.89 ± 3.79 and 2.59 ± 4.77 mmol/L (both P < 0.0001). The most frequently reported adverse drug reactions were flatulence (0.37%) and abnormal gastrointestinal sounds (0.37%), and all were mild in intensity and transient. In the satisfaction evaluation, 79.0% of physicians and 77.3% of patients were 'very satisfied' or 'satisfied' with the combined basal insulin and acarbose therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy of basal insulin and acarbose in patients with type 2 diabetes improved glucose control, and had no drug-specific safety concerns, suggesting that the treatment might benefit individuals who cannot control blood glucose with basal insulin alone.