Background
This study explored the approaches of Jordanian community pharmacists to identifying and counseling breastfeeding mothers regarding medication usage.
Methods
This cross-sectional study used self-administered questionnaires. A convenience sample (n=381) of Jordanian community pharmacists was recruited through social media. The responses were statistically analyzed using IBM SPSS ver. 25.0 (IBM Corp., USA).
Results
The majority of recruited pharmacists were female (n=329, 86.4%). Asking every woman was Jordanian pharmacists’ preferred approach to identifying breastfeeding women (n=211, 55.4%). The study showed that around one-third of the pharmacists (n=128, 33.6%) reported that they currently experienced queries regarding medication use during breastfeeding on a daily basis. Additionally, the majority (n=325, 85.3%) of pharmacists reported feeling confident, and 67.2% of them (n=256) reported feeling comfortable while giving advice to breastfeeding women. The surveyed pharmacists relied on different resources during their course of practice to answer queries related to medicine usage by breastfeeding mothers.
Conclusion
Community pharmacists have continuous interactions with breastfeeding women. Pharmacists require reliable and updated data access to answer queries related to medication use while breastfeeding.

Citations

• Reflecting on progress and challenges: the Korean Journal of Family Medicine in 2024
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(2): 55.     CrossRef

Potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) is a major public health concern with several undesirable health consequences for older adults. In this overview, we aimed to map and gather information from existing literature to provide a better insight into the prevalence of PIP among community dwellers. Electronic databases were searched from their inception to April 2022. The quality of the included systematic reviews (SRs) was assessed using the assessment of multiple systematic reviews checklist. The degree of overlap within the SRs was also evaluated (2% overlap). All SRs on the prevalence of PIP in older individuals in community settings were included, and a narrative approach was used to synthesize data. Nineteen SRs comprising 548 primary studies met the inclusion criteria, and the average quality of the included SRs was moderate. More than half (50.5%) of the primary studies were conducted in Europe, followed by the United States (22.8%), and Asia (18.9%). Thirty different criteria were used in the primary studies to estimate the prevalence of PIP. The most widely used criteria were those presented in Beers (41.8%) and STOPP (Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Prescriptions)/START (Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment) (21.8%) criteria. Benzodiazepines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and antidepressants were the most frequently reported PIPs. A considerable variation in the prevalence of PIP ranging from 0% to 98% was reported by SRs. However, there is a high degree of uncertainty regarding the extent of PIP in community settings. To identify knowledge-to-action gaps, SR authors should consider the differences in prevalence of PIP according to settings, applied tools, data sources, geographical areas, and specific pathologies. There is also a need for primary and SR studies from low- and middle-income countries regarding the prevalence of PIP.

Background
There is a shortage of general practitioners in Japan. With the revision of educational guidelines, general practice (GP) education has improved. However, the amount of education on GP in medical schools remains inconsistent. This study examined the relationship between medical students’ amount of GP-related education and their subsequent choice of GP majors.
Methods
A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a teaching hospital in Japan. Participants were residents in the hospital. The exposure comprised compulsory lectures and training time for community-based medicine in medical schools. The outcome included participants choosing GP majors after their initial 2-year junior residency.
Results
Fifty-one participants were included in the final analysis. Of these, 14 majored in GP and 37 in non-GP after their initial 2-year junior residency. Of the participants who took GP lectures for 18 hours or more, 11 chose GP majors, and 18 chose non-GP majors (risk ratio, 2.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88–8.79). Of the participants who underwent training for 12 days or more, 10 chose GP majors, and 16 chose non-GP majors (risk ratio, 2.40; 95% CI, 0.87–6.68).
Conclusion
The results do not support the association between the amount of compulsory undergraduate education for community-based medicine and the subsequent increase in the number of residents choosing GP majors in Japan. Educators would do well to explore different approaches, such as improving the quality of education to increase the number of GP residents. Further research is needed to reach more definitive conclusions.

Citations

• Distribution of internal medicine rotations among resident physicians in Japan: a nationwide, multicenter, cross-sectional study
  Kiyoshi Shikino, Miwa Sekine, Yuji Nishizaki, Yu Yamamoto, Taro Shimizu, Sho Fukui, Kazuya Nagasaki, Daiki Yokokawa, Takashi Watari, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Yasuharu Tokuda
  BMC Medical Education.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Strengthening Primary Health Care through Medical Education
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2023; 44(4): 181.     CrossRef
• Factors associated with regional retention of physicians: a cross-sectional online survey of medical students and graduates in Japan
  Soichi Koike, Kentaro Okazaki, Akiko Tokinobu, Masatoshi Matsumoto, Kazuhiko Kotani, Hitomi Kataoka
  Human Resources for Health.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef

Background
Family doctors are increasingly managing the diabetes care of Korean-Americans. Little is known about the prevalence of diabetes among non-obese Korean-Americans, or the extent to which they receive timely and appropriate diabetes care. The purpose of this investigation is to: (1) identify the prevalence of diabetes and to determine the adjusted odds of diabetes among non-obese Korean-Americans compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) Americans, (2) examine the factors associated with having diabetes in a large sample of non-obese KoreanAmericans, and (3) determine the prevalence and adjusted odds of optimal frequency of eye care, foot care and A1C blood glucose level monitoring among non-obese Korean-Americans with diabetes in comparison to NHWs with diabetes.
Methods
Secondary analysis of population-based data from the combined 2007, 2009, and 2011 adult California Health Interview Survey. The sample included 74,361 respondents with body mass index (BMI) <30 kg/m2 (referred to as ‘non-obese BMI’), of whom 2,289 were Korean-Americans and 72,072 were NHWs, and 4,576 had diabetes.
Results
The prevalence and adjusted odds of diabetes among non-obese Korean-Americans are significantly higher than among their NHW peers. More than 90% of Korean-Americans with diabetes were non-obese. NHWs had substantially higher odds of having optimal frequency of eye care, foot care and A1C glucose level monitoring, even after adjusting for insulin dependence, sex, age, education, income, and BMI.
Conclusion
Non-obese Korean-Americans are at higher risk for diabetes and are much less likely to receive optimal diabetes care in comparison to NHWs. Targeted outreach is necessary.

Citations

• Adapting the NIMHD Research Framework for Type 2 Diabetes-Related Disparities
  Monica Diaz, Morgan E. Braxton, Eyitayo O. Owolabi, Timian M. Godfrey, Mantej Singh, Aliria M. Rascón, Gabriel Q. Shaibi
  Current Diabetes Reports.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• The interplay of social support and education on diabetes knowledge: a focus on Korean American women
  Young Ji Yoon, Soonok An, Y. Joon Choi, Hee Yun Lee
  Ethnicity & Health.2024; 29(7): 793.     CrossRef
• The prevalence and management of diabetes among Vietnamese Americans: A population-based survey of an understudied ethnic group
  Leanne R De Souza, Keith T Chan, Karen Kobayashi, Alexis Karasiuk, Esme Fuller-Thomson
  Chronic Illness.2022; 18(2): 306.     CrossRef
• Increasing Individual Target Glucose Levels to Prevent Hypoglycemia in Patients with Diabetes
  Juyoung Shin, Hyunah Kim, Hun-Sung Kim, Churlmin Kim, Whan-Seok Choi
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2021; 42(4): 269.     CrossRef

Citations

• Assessing clinical associate students’ views on learning opportunities and involvement during primary health care placements: a mixed methods study in Tshwane
  Sanele Ngcobo, Murray Louw, Luvuyo Bayeni, Edith Madela-Mntla
  BMC Medical Education.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Voluntary assignments during the pediatric clerkship to enhance the clinical experiences of medical students in the United States
  Conrad Krawiec, Abigail Kate Myers
  Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions.2020; 17: 17.     CrossRef
• Structured Assessment to Evaluate a Family Medicine Clerkship Program
  Eun Ju Park, Sang Yeoup Lee, Sun Ju Im, So Jung Yune, Beesung Kam, Sun Yong Baek, Yun-Jin Kim, Jae Seok Woo, Jeong-Gyu Lee, Dong-Wook Jeong, Young-Hye Cho, Yu-Hyeon Yi, Young Jin Tak
  Korean Medical Education Review.2017; 19(1): 47.     CrossRef

Background
The incidence of obesity is acutely increasing resulting in increased mortality rate and medical expenses among Koreans. But it is rare to find effective obesity management program, that are readily accessible by general local community residents. This study was aimed to develop and evaluate an effective and specialized obesity management program utilizing the local public health institutes. Methods: One hundred forty nine obese adults residing in Kwangju were enrolled in a tentative, 12-week scheduled obesity management program from August 2006 to October 2006. The program constituted of weekly education and practice by specialists, and exercise for more than an hour for 5 days a week. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated according to the change of body weight, body component, blood pressure, and serum lipid concentration. After the program was completed, each participant was surveyed on the degree of satisfaction and lifestyle changes. Results: Ninety participants (60.4%) completed the program to the end. The average decrement of body weight after the program was 1.9±1.5 kg. Eleven participants (12.2%) lost more than 5% of the initial body weight. The waist circumference and average blood pressure significantly decreased among the group who lost more than 5% of the initial body weight. The total cholesterol and triglycerides also slightly decreased among this group. Overall 87.3% of the participants were satisfied with the results of the program. The lifestyle of the participants had also changed by the program. Conclusion: The authors expect that establishing easily- approachable obesity management program in local public health institutes will make a great contribution to the maintenance of proper body weight and decrement of cardiovascular diseases among local community residents. (J Korean Acad Fam Med 2008;29:121-133)

Background
: Community-acquired pneumonia is one of the main causes of hospitalization and death, especially in elderly patients. There have been many studies on prognosis for community-acquired pneumonia, but few in Korea. We sought to identify characteristics on admission predicting mortality in elderly patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia and to compare mortality rates by PORT score with PORT study's ones.

Methods : We performed a retrospective study of 267 patients aged 65 years and over admitted with community- acquired pneumonia from January 2000 to December 2002. We reviewed demographic, clinical, laboratory, microbiological and radiologic data and identified independent factors associated with the mortality using logistic regression analysis. We classified patients into risk classes by PORT score and calculated the mortality rate.

Results : Among of 267 patients, 48 (18.0%) died. We identified six independent predictors of mortality; male (OR, 2,496; 95% CI, 1,012∼6,153), lung cancer (OR, 3,409; 95% CI, 1,302∼8,920), general weakness (OR, 5.218; 95% CI, 2,140∼12,718), unable to walk (OR, 9,232; 95% CI, 2,228∼38,257), BUN ≥30 mg/dL (OR, 3,327; 95% CI, 1.072∼10.327), albumin ＜3 g/dL (OR, 3,219; 95% CI, 1,351∼7,670) and pleural effusion (OR, 3.135; 95% CI, 1,052∼9,342). Mortality rates of risk class II-V by PORT score were 6.7%, 9.5%, 30.4% and 34.4%, respectively.

Conclusion : There were factors that were associated with mortality in elderly patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia.

Background
: This study was aimed at preparing basic data required for establishment of a cancer screening program by evaluating the screening rate and related factors in rural and urban areas.

Methods : The study population of 2,157 respondents was selected by a random cluster sampling method in one rural area (Gun) and one urban area (Gu). The subjects answered the structured questionnaire. The Andersen model was used to evaluate the related factors.

Results : The results by proportions of the study population who had received cancer screening tests in the last three years were 8.9% for stomach cancer, 10.5% for hepatic cancer, 4.5% for colorectal cancer, 46.3% for cervical cancer and 16.0% for breast cancer. Application of Andersen model revealed that sex, age, education level, economic status, knowledge and alcohol drinking for stomach cancer; sex age, knowledge alcohol drinking, and smoking for liver cancer; sex, age, education level, marital status, knowledge, alcohol drinking, and smoking for colorectal cancer; age, educational level, marital status, area, economic status and attitude for cervical cancer; age, area, attitude and family history for breast cancer were significant.

Conclusion : These results could be used to develop a program that facilitates change of community people's knowledge and attitude and practice of health behavior.

Background
: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been used as a effective therapeutic strategy of postmenopausal osteoporosis. However, the studies on HRT are insufficient, particularly in early postmenopausal women in Korea. This study was designed as a community based clinical trial and was conducted for 1 year.

Methods : One hundred and forty early postmenopausal women aged 49 to 54 years who resided in Ulsan in Korea were enrolled in this study. The osteoporosis prone life style and general characteristics of the participants and their measured BMD were investigated. The therapy groups included 45 women who were assigned to one of the following regimens in 28 day cycles for 1 year: (1) conjugate equine estrogen (CEE), 0.625 mg/d daily, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) 2.5 mg/d daily and calcium 500 mg/d daily (2) CEE 0.625 mg/d daily, MPA 10 mg/d for days 1 through 12 and calcium 500 mg/d daily.

Results : The women in the therapy groups had an average gain of 5.4%, 4.2%, 2.1%, 4.9% in BMD in the lumbar spine, femur total, femur neck and ward's area, respectively. HRT has significantly influenced the BMD after controlling age, month since menopause, alcohol intake, smoking, calcium intake, exercise, body mass index and baseline BMD. The baseline BMD and the BMI were factors that influenced the effect of HRT in BMD.

Conclusion : HRT had positively influenced the BMD in Korean women. The baseline BMD and the BMI were predictors of the effect of HRT in BMD change.

Background
: One of the main objectives of medical school is to provide high-quality primary care physicians. To fulfill this objective it is increasingly important to utilize ambulatory care setting, particularly community private practice clinic for medical students' clerkship. But program evaluation of this type of clerkship is lacking. The authors intended to evaluate th e community primary care clerkship with a view to students' perspective.

Methods : We used students' and preceptors' evaluation forms with semi-structured questionnaires using 5-point Likert scale and students' essays for program evaluation. We analyzed 76 students' and 89 preceptors' evaluation forms by description, and categorized emergent themes from 89 students' essays using qualitative method.

Results : Over seventy percent of students rated overall satisfaction, achievement of knowledge, preceptors' educational effort, and practical application as excellent on the 5-point Likert scale. In the evaluation of the discussion topics with preceptors, they rated medical insurance and health care delivery system as relatively poor compared to other topics such as realities of private practice, management of private practice and equipments necessary in primary care. They understood positively the importance of patient characteristics and good patient-physician relationship in primary care, and the realities of private practice. They were also concerned about the problems of health care system and assumed a sound suspicion whether the education in medical school was practical in primary care. On the other hand, they showed ambivalence towards expressing the negative aspect of primary care in terms of the repetition of simple cases and lack of stimulation to achieve sophisticated medical knowledge.

Conclusion : Community primary care clerkship was generally satisfactory in the students' perspective, which is necessary to standardize preceptor education and establish a role model of primary care in order to provide the soil for high-quality primary care physician.