Background
This study examined disparities in 1-year mortality rates between infants born to married and unmarried single-parent families, emphasizing the need for targeted health policies.
Methods
Data from 3,298,263 cases, obtained from the South Korea National Statistical Office (2010–2017), were analyzed. T-tests and chi-square tests were used to assess the demographic characteristics of the study group. The number of deaths per 1,000 live births was calculated, and logistic and multivariable logistic regressions were employed to compare infant mortality rates between family types. Additional stratified analyses, based on gestational age and birth weight, further elucidated the relationship between parental marital status and infant mortality.
Results
Infants from unmarried families exhibited a 3.34-fold higher crude odds ratio (OR) for 1-year mortality (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.56–4.36; P<0.001) than that from married families. After adjusting for confounders, the adjusted OR was 1.40 (95% CI, 1.03–1.92). Stratification by gestational age and birth weight revealed crude ORs of 4.62 (95% CI, 3.34– 6.39) in non-preterm infants (≥37 weeks) and 4.76 (95% CI, 3.46–6.56) in non-low-birth-weight infants (≥2.5 kg), highlighting a more pronounced disparity in infants born at or above normal weight and full term. No significant difference (P>0.05) was found in the crude OR for 1-year mortality rates among low-birth-weight (<2.5 kg) or preterm (<37 weeks) infants between the two-family types.
Conclusion
This study highlights the significant disparity in infant mortality rates based on parental marital status, underscoring the need for enhanced social support and tailored policies for unmarried single-parent families.

Background
Updated reports on the population-based analysis of atopic dermatitis (AD) in Korea are rare. This study aimed to investigate the nationwide prevalence and systemic medication prescription trends of AD in Korea.
Methods
Based on the Korean National Health Insurance database, the prevalence of AD and systemic medication prescription trends in patients with AD were analyzed according to age groups and regional districts from 2010 to 2015.
Results
The prevalence of AD was the highest among patients aged 0–1 year (18.6%–24.5%), decreasing rapidly with increasing age (<2% in patients aged ≥20 years). From 2010 to 2015, the prevalence of AD decreased in children but increased slightly in adolescents and adults. In 2015, the proportion of systemic steroid prescriptions increased from 11.2% in the 0–9 years age group to 41.1% in the 50–59 years age group, while that of systemic antibiotic prescriptions gradually decreased from 6.2% in the 0–9 years age group to 1.8% in the 80–89 years age group. The proportion of systemic steroid prescriptions by region remained consistently high in Gyeongbuk (34.2%– 34.9%) and low in Daejeon (20.2%–22.5%). The annual proportion of systemic cyclosporine prescriptions increased significantly from 0.6% in 2010 to 1.2% in 2015, with the highest rates observed in patients in their 30s (1.5%–2.4%), followed by those in their 20s (1.3%–2.3%) and 40s (1.1%–2.0%).
Conclusion
From 2010 to 2015, the prevalence of AD decreased in children but increased slightly in adolescents and adults. Approximately one-fourth of the patients with AD were prescribed systemic steroids, and the percentage of cyclosporine prescriptions doubled during the study period.

Background
This study aimed to determine the link between water consumption and abdominal obesity in individuals aged 19 years and above, utilizing a sample from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Methods
Participants were divided into two groups based on their water intake: those meeting adequate intake (≥5 cups for men and ≥4 cups for women) and those with inadequate intake (<5 cups for men and <4 cups for women). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for potential confounders.
Results
Compared with the inadequate water intake group, the adequate water intake group showed a lower adjusted OR for abdominal obesity (adjusted OR, 0.874; 95% CI, 0.770–0.992). In the subgroup analysis, the adjusted OR for abdominal obesity in the 19–39 age group was 0.712 (95% CI, 0.520–0.974). However, no significant association was observed in the 40–64 and 65 or higher age groups.
Conclusion
Our findings indicate that sufficient water consumption may be negatively associated with abdominal obesity in adults, particularly among young adults; however, this association may not extend to older age groups.

Background
Noncombustible nicotine or tobacco product (NNTP) use, and cigarette smoking are associated with a high likelihood of unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCBs) among adolescents. However, no study has addressed the differences in UWCBs among non-users, single users of combustible cigarettes (CCs) or NNTPs and dual users. This study compared the frequencies of weight control behaviors according to the status of CC and NNTP use among Korean adolescents.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional study of 25,094 adolescents who had attempted to reduce or maintain their body weight during the past 30 days, using data from the 15th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2019. Data on the status of CC and NNTP use, weight status, and weight control behaviors were obtained using self-report questionnaires. Subjects were categorized into four groups: non-users, cigarette-only users, NNTP-only users, and dual users.
Results
Among boys and girls, current smokers and NNTP users were 8.9%±0.3% and 5.5%±0.3%, and 4.2%±0.2% and 1.7%±0.1%, respectively. Among boys, NNTP-only users were more likely to engage in extreme weight control behaviors than non-users. Among girls, users of either CCs or NNTPs were more likely to engage in extreme weight control behaviors and less extreme weight control behaviors than non-users.
Conclusion
This study shows that users of either CCs or NNTPs are more likely to engage in UWCBs, and NNTP-only users are the most likely to do so.

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
• The Interconnected Nature of Smoking, Depression, and Obesity in Behavioral Medicine
  Joung Sik Son
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(4): 181.     CrossRef

Background
This study aimed to examine the effects of different types of skipped meals on cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) in Korean adults.
Methods
We analyzed 14,062 adults from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2016 and 2018. The irregularity of breakfast, lunch, and dinner consumption was assessed using 24-hour recall data, and we categorized the habit of skipping regular meals into eight types. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the association between each type of meal skipping and the CMRF. We also presented the estimated effects of individual types of meal skipping on the CMRF based on their predicted values and mean differences.
Results
Korean adults tended to have irregular meal consumption habits when they had one or more of the following characteristics: female sex, under the age of 50 years, middle-high to high household income, high school or college or higher education levels, alcohol consumption, and current smoking. Compared to regular eaters, we have observed significantly higher total cholesterol in the following types of meal skipping: irregular breakfast (IB) (P<0.001), irregular lunch (P=0.005), irregular breakfast and lunch (IBL) (P=0.001), irregular breakfast and dinner (P=0.001); higher low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in IB (P=0.009); higher triglyceride in IB (P=0.005) and IBL (P=0.034); and higher fasting glucose in IB (P=0.046).
Conclusion
Different types of meal skipping were associated with CMRF. Regular breakfast and lunch consumption should be emphasized to prevent and manage cardiometabolic disorders. However, skipping dinner showed no significant association with CMRF.

Citations

• Primary Care Physicians’ Important Role: Lifestyle Modification for Chronic Disease Management
  Su-Min Jeong
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(5): 237.     CrossRef

Background
Despite the increasing prevalence of anxiety disorders in Korea, there have been no nationwide studies on the association between tobacco status and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Furthermore, despite the increasing number of people using noncombustible nicotine or tobacco products (NNTPs), the association between NNTP use and GAD remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the association between tobacco use and GAD.
Methods
This nationwide study used data from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2021) and included 5,454 adults aged ≥19 years who self-reported on the tobacco use and mental health sections. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the odds ratios (ORs) of GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 score ≥10) according to tobacco status among Korean adults. The severity of anxiety was assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale.
Results
Compared to never tobacco users, the ORs of GAD for combustible cigarette smokers and NNTP users were 2.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66–4.50) and 2.11 (95% CI, 1.16–3.83), respectively. The OR of GAD for former tobacco users was 1.63 (95% CI, 0.98–2.72).
Conclusion
Tobacco use (combustible cigarettes and NNTP) was positively associated with GAD. However, in former tobacco users, there was no significant association with GAD when compared with never tobacco users. Given the OR of GAD among tobacco users, it is crucial to pay attention to screening for GAD and implement appropriate early interventions.

Citations

• Comprehensive Health Strategies for the Post-pandemic Era: Integrating Physical Health, Psychological Resilience, Lifestyle Choices, and Occupational Well-being
  Su Hwan Cho
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(6): 303.     CrossRef

Background
Primary care physicians perform a comprehensive role by providing continuous, patient-centered, and accessible healthcare and establishing connections with specialized care. However, the association between the supply of primary care physicians and mortality rates in South Korea has not been thoroughly investigated.
Methods
This study utilized data from 229 si-gun-gu in South Korea from 2016 to 2020. The densities of primary care physicians, physicians in functional primary clinics, specialists in primary care facilities, and active physicians per 100,000 people were independent variables. Age-adjusted all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality rates per 100,000 individuals were the dependent variables. Negative binomial regression, negative binomial regression with a pseudo-panel approach, and geographically weighted regression were used to analyze the data.
Results
Our study revealed a significant negative association between the density of primary care physicians and all-cause mortality. An increase in a primary care physician per 100,000 population was significantly linked to a 0.11% reduction in all-cause mortality (incidence rate ratio, 0.9989; 95% confidence interval, 0.9983–0.9995). Similar associations have been observed between mortality rates owing to cardiovascular diseases, respiratory tract diseases, and traffic accidents.
Conclusion
This study provides evidence that having a higher number of primary care physicians in South Korea is associated with lower mortality rates. Future research should consider better indicators that reflect the quality of primary care to better understand its impact on population health outcomes. These findings emphasize the significance of strengthening primary care in the South Korean healthcare system to improve the overall health and wellbeing.

Citations

• What is the optimal number of physicians for a sustainable healthcare system?
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(1): 1.     CrossRef
• Reinforcing Primary Care in Korea: Policy Implications, Data Sources, and Research Methods
  Chung-Nyun Kim, Seok-Jun Yoon
  Journal of Korean Medical Science.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Obesity management in primary care: A joint clinical perspective and expert review from the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) and the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) - 2025
  Nicholas Pennings, Catherine Varney, Shaun Hines, Bernadette Riley, Patricia Happel, Samir Patel, Harold Edward Bays
  Obesity Pillars.2025; 14: 100172.     CrossRef
• 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
• Current Status and Future Directions of Primary Care in the World: Insights from Japan
  Sinyoung Cho, Belong Cho, Seo Eun Hwang
  Korean Journal of Family Practice.2025; 15(1): 22.     CrossRef
• Supply of Primary Care Physicians: A Key Strategy to Reduce Population Mortality
  Young Gyu Cho
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(2): 59.     CrossRef
• Primary Care Physicians’ Important Role: Lifestyle Modification for Chronic Disease Management
  Su-Min Jeong
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(5): 237.     CrossRef

Background
Maintaining a usual source of care (USC), which is crucial for primary healthcare, encompasses initial contact, comprehensive services, coordinated care, and ongoing support. However, limited research exists on the relationship between USC and medication adherence in patients with hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the association between USC and medication adherence among patients with hypertension.
Methods
Data from the 2nd Korea Health Panel Survey 2020 were analyzed. The final sample consisted of 3,318 participants aged 19 years or older diagnosed with hypertension. USC was categorized into three groups: no USC, place only (without a regular doctor), and regular doctor. Medication adherence was assessed using detailed items (dose, frequency, time, no stop) and a 4-point Likert scale. A logistic regression analysis was conducted with control for relevant variables.
Results
Compared to the no USC group, the regular doctor group had significantly higher odds ratios (ORs) for overall perfect/high medication adherence rates: 1.70 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.42–2.03) and 1.59 (95% CI, 1.14–2.20). Similar results were observed for each adherence item, including prefect dose (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.73– 2.63), frequency (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.53–2.28), time (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.43–2.07), and no stop (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.09–2.23)/high frequency (OR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.21–5.01), time (OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.19–4.44). However, the place only group showed no significant differences in medication adherence except for perfect adherence to dose (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.06–1.71).
Conclusion
These findings provide evidence supporting the need for healthcare policies that encourage having a regular doctor in South Korea, which has a healthcare system with limited primary care.

Citations

• Types of Usual Source of Care and Medication Adherence in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus
  Yoon-Eui Choi, Nak-Jin Sung
  Korean Journal of Family Practice.2025; 15(1): 47.     CrossRef
• Supply of Primary Care Physicians: A Key Strategy to Reduce Population Mortality
  Young Gyu Cho
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(2): 59.     CrossRef

Background
To determine the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and the consumption of various fruits.
Methods
The Korean Genome And Epidemiology Study is an ongoing prospective longitudinal cohort study of community dwellers and participants (men and women, aged 40–69 years) recruited from the national health examinee registry of Korea. Their individual consumption habits for 12 different fruit types were recorded using food frequency questionnaires. The fruits were then divided into three groups according to their glycemic indexes and glycemic loads. Participants with extreme caloric intakes, pre-existing type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney diseases, chronic liver diseases, and ongoing cancer treatments were excluded. The incidence of type 2 diabetes in the cohort was identified through self-reporting and supplemented by glycated hemoglobin and fasting blood glucose levels.
Results
A total of 2,549 cases of type 2 diabetes were documented during 283,033.8 person-years of follow-up. After adjusting for personal, lifestyle, and dietary risk factors for diabetes, the pooled hazard ratio of type 2 diabetes for every serving per week of total whole fruit consumption was 1.02 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99–1.06; P=0.2). With mutual adjustment of individual fruits, the pooled hazard ratios of type 2 diabetes for every serving per week were 0.94 (95% CI, 0.88–1.00; P=0.039) for bananas, and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.84–0.96; P<0.001) for grapes.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest associations between the consumption of certain fruits and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A greater consumption of grapes was significantly associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in our cohort, but the total amount of fruit consumption was not associated with a reduced risk.

Citations

• Guidelines for nutrition counseling in primary healthcare clinics
  Gyeongsil Lee, Seung-Won Oh
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2024; 67(4): 278.     CrossRef

Background
This study aimed to identify the clinical content of patients registered with the Lifetime Health Maintenance Program (LHMP) under the care of a single family physician who introduced and operated the program in Korea at a tertiary hospital for over 30 years.
Methods
We analyzed the electronic medical records of 745 patients who had registered for more than 3 times with the LHMP under the care of a single family physician between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019. We reviewed medical records from June 1989, when the hospital was established, to February 2022. The participants’ age at the time of LHMP enrollment, sex, initial consultation date, final consultation date, and consultation content were evaluated.
Results
Patients visited the LHMP for various reasons, including acute symptom management, chronic disease management, psychiatric consultation, counseling on health behaviors, health checkups, and vaccination. The top five diagnoses for acute symptom management were upper respiratory infection, abdominal pain, dizziness/vertigo, headache, and lower back pain, whereas those for chronic disease management were dyslipidemia, hypertension, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis/osteopenia, and diabetes. More than one in five patients received psychiatric consultation and counseling on health behaviors. As the duration of the program enrollment increased, the proportion of patients visiting the LHMP for acute symptoms, vaccinations, and health checkups also increased. Furthermore, the number of categories of consultation content increased for each patient.
Conclusion
The LHMP emphasized the need to systematize regular primary care physicians in Korea. Policy changes are necessary to strengthen primary care, and the LHMP serves as an intermediate step in organizing regular primary care physicians in Korea.

Citations

• Pharmacotherapy guidelines for smoking cessation in primary healthcare clinics
  Cheol Min Lee, Yu Jin Paek, Yoo Bin Seo, Eon Sook Lee
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2024; 67(4): 230.     CrossRef

Since each person has a different ability to break down alcohol, it is inappropriate to apply a uniform standard to everyone when evaluating drinking status. In Korea, there has been a guideline for moderate drinking based not only on sex and age but Koreans’ alcohol metabolism capabilities that can be predicted by presence of facial flushing response. So far, there have been no studies that have investigated drinking habits of Koreans in accordance with the guideline. This study tried to identify the current drinking status of Koreans according to the guideline. As a result, it was confirmed that about 1/3 of the total population was accompanied by facial flushing when drinking alcohol, and it was found that different drinking habits were shown even in the same age and gender groups according to the presence of facial flushing. It is difficult to accurately evaluate drinking habits because facial flushing has not yet been investigated in some large data or various medical examinations. In the future, it is necessary to ensure that the presence of facial flushing can be confirmed at the medical treatment or examination site so that accurate drinking habit evaluation and prevention and resolution of drinking problems can be achieved.

Citations

• Unhealthy alcohol use: screening and behavioral counseling interventions
  Wonyoung Jung, Seung-Won Oh, Se-Hong Kim, Soo Young Kim
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(1): 20.     CrossRef
• The preventative effects of statin on lung cancer development in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis using the National Health Insurance Service Database in Korea
  Yoo Jung Lee, Nayoon Kang, Junghyun Nam, Eung Gu Lee, Jiwon Ryoo, Soon Seog Kwon, Yong Hyun Kim, Hye Seon Kang, Tsai-Ching Hsu
  PLOS ONE.2024; 19(3): e0299484.     CrossRef
• Cancer risk based on alcohol consumption levels: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis
  Seunghee Jun, Hyunjin Park, Ui-Jeong Kim, Eun Jeong Choi, Hye Ah Lee, Bomi Park, Soon Young Lee, Sun Ha Jee, Hyesook Park
  Epidemiology and Health.2023; 45: e2023092.     CrossRef

Background
This study aimed to improve the clinical course of patients through rapid response by analyzing the characteristics of critically ill patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Busan between December 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021.
Methods
We divided patients diagnosed with COVID-19 into mild-to-moderate and critical groups based on their clinical severity. The critically ill patients were further sub-divided into delta and delta variant non-epidemic group.
Results
The following factors were significantly more frequent in critically ill patients than in patients with mild-tomoderate symptoms: male sex, age ≥60 years, symptoms at the time of diagnosis, and those with underlying diseases. The following factors were significantly more common in the non-delta variant epidemic group than in the delta variant epidemic group in critically ill patients: male sex, age ≥60 years, underlying diseases, and not being vaccinated. In the delta variant epidemic group, the duration between confirmation of disease and its progression to critically ill status was significantly shorter than that in the non-delta variant epidemic group.
Conclusion
COVID-19 is characterized by the emergence of new variants and repeated epidemics. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the characteristics of critically ill patients to efficiently distribute and manage medical resources.

Background
Given that the role of serum testosterone on incident cardiovascular disease has been uncertain, it is necessary to find out the relationship between serum testosterone and carotid atherosclerosis.
Methods
The study participants included 1,302 Korean adults (873 men and 429 postmenopausal women) who participated in the Healthy Twin Study and were not receiving androgen deprivation therapy. The participants were classified into three groups: men aged <40 and ≥40 years and postmenopausal women. Total testosterone (TT) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations were measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassays, and free testosterone (cFT) levels were calculated using Vermeulen’s method. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured at three levels using a high-resolution B-mode ultrasound equipped with a 7-MHz linear transducer. The associations between sex hormone concentrations and carotid IMT were evaluated using a mixed linear regression analysis.
Results
After adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, TT was found to be inversely associated with common carotid IMT in men aged ≥40 years, with a 4.5% decrease in common carotid IMT for every one-standard deviation increase in TT concentration (P=0.0063). In contrast, TT was not significantly associated with carotid IMT in all segments in men aged <40 years and postmenopausal women. Additionally, SHBG and cFT were not associated with carotid IMT in any segment.
Conclusion
The significant association between TT level and common carotid IMT in men aged ≥40 years suggests that decreased testosterone levels are involved in the development of atherosclerosis in men.

Citations

• Refined metabolite profiling in the collateral circulation of chronic total occlusion of coronary arteries: Insights from a metabolomics investigation
  Hu Sigan, Li Min, Cheng Zengwei, Gao Shiyi, Kang Pinfang, Gao Dasheng
  Atherosclerosis Plus.2024; 55: 63.     CrossRef

Background
A usual source of care (USC) is related to longitudinal and personalized services, which are attributes of primary care. Patient-centered communication, an important element of patient-centered care, helps physicians understand health problems from a patient’s point of view. We analyzed the association between USC and patient-centered communication.
Methods
Data from the Korea Health Panel 2018 were used in the analysis. Patient-centered communication scores were obtained by combining the four communication-related questionnaire items. Usual source of care types were categorized based on responses to two questionnaire items: no USC, a place without a regular doctor and with a regular doctor. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for confounders.
Results
Good communication rate was higher for those with a regular doctor (71.8%) than for those with no USC (61.8%) or a place only (61.5%). Those with a regular doctor had better communication (odds ratio, 1.49 for individuals with poor/moderate health, and 2.08 for those with good health) than those without a USC after adjusting for confounders. In terms of communication, no difference was observed between individuals with no USC and those with a place only.
Conclusion
Having a regular doctor promotes communication between patients and doctors. Good communication may be a mediator between having a regular doctor and related beneficial outcomes. Better communication by having a regular doctor, along with several other benefits identified in previous studies suggests the need for a health policy that encourages individuals to have regular doctors.

Citations

• Types of Usual Source of Care and Medication Adherence in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus
  Yoon-Eui Choi, Nak-Jin Sung
  Korean Journal of Family Practice.2025; 15(1): 47.     CrossRef
• Correlation between Usual Source of Care and Medication Adherence in Patients with Hypertension
  Han-Kil Kang, Nak-Jin Sung
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(2): 82.     CrossRef
• Determinants of Patient-Centered Communication, Its Impact On Quality of Services, Overall Health Status And Trust In The Healthcare System In The United States
  Cuma Çakmak, İsmail Biçer
  Celal Bayar Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi.2024; 11(4): 630.     CrossRef

Background
The International Classification of Primary Care-2 (ICPC-2) is a classification method designed for primary care. Although previous studies have found that ICPC-2 is a useful tool for demonstrating the relationship between patients’ expectations and health providers’ diagnoses, its utility of ICPC-2 has yet to be fully studied in Korea. This study aimed to evaluate the practicality of ICPC-2 in Korean primary care.
Methods
The study was conducted at primary care clinics in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas from October to November 2015. Third-year family medicine residents examined and analyzed the medical records of patients who visited primary care physicians using ICPC-2, and the results were compared with those obtained using the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) (Korean version: Korean Standard Classification of Diseases-7).
Results
A total of 26 primary care physicians from 23 primary care clinics participated in the study. Furthermore, 2,458 ICD-10 codes and 6,091 ICPC-2 codes were recorded from the data of 1,099 patients. The common disease codes were vasomotor and allergic rhinitis (J30), according to ICD-10, and acute upper respiratory infection (R74) in ICPC-2. Comparing disease status by body systems, the proportion of gastrointestinal disease with ICD-10 codes was significantly higher than that with ICPC-2 codes (P<0.001). Furthermore, patients with >4 diagnoses accounted for 36% of the ICD-10 classifications, whereas those with >4 diagnoses accounted for 4% of the ICPC-2 classifications.
Conclusion
Introducing ICPC as a complementary means for diagnosing common diseases could be a practical approach in Korean primary care.

Citations

• Evaluation of Diagnoses According to ICD‐10 and ICPC‐2 in Family Medicine Practice: A Retrospective Study
  Olgun Göktaş, Marta Laranjo
  International Journal of Clinical Practice.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef

Background
Previous studies have shown a close relationship between skipping breakfast and nutritional deficiency. However, the impact of regular eating, including lunch and dinner, has not been studied well. We explored the correlation between regularity and frequency of daily meals and nutritional status.
Methods
We analyzed Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys between 2016 and 2018. A total of 7,725 adults aged 19–49 years were classified into four groups according to the regularity of meal intake: three-meal regular diet (3MRD), two-meal regular diet, one-meal regular diet, and irregular diet (IRD). Food and nutrient intake was assessed using the 24-hour recall method and estimated by a generalized linear model in complex sample weight variables.
Results
In IRD, there were relatively more females who were not married, lived alone, or reported low levels of education. As subjects ate more meals, more people felt thinner and healthier by themselves. Dietary intake of cereal, vegetables, seaweed, and fiber was directly proportional to the number of regular meals as well as essential components such as water, carbohydrates, protein, fat, and micronutrients. Contrarily, alcohol and beverage consumption was inversely proportional to the number of regular meals. Intake level of legumes, fish, fruits, seasonings, milk, oils, sugars, and cholesterol was consistent regardless of meal frequency.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that 3MRD showed nutrient adequacy and a healthier profile on body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, serum fasting glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride.

Citations

• Eating patterns in Korean adults, 1998–2018: increased energy contribution of ultra-processed foods in main meals and snacks
  Sukyoung Jung, Jee Young Kim, Sohyun Park
  European Journal of Nutrition.2024; 63(1): 279.     CrossRef
• Analysis of dietary behavior and intake related to glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes aged 30 years or older in Korea: Utilizing the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019–2021)
  Jin-Ah Seok, Yeon-Kyung Lee
  Nutrition Research and Practice.2024; 18(2): 239.     CrossRef
• Guidelines for nutrition counseling in primary healthcare clinics
  Gyeongsil Lee, Seung-Won Oh
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2024; 67(4): 278.     CrossRef
• A national cross-sectional study on breakfast skipping-related factors and comparison of nutritional status according to breakfast skipping in older adults based on the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2020)
  Anna Han, Yean Jung Choi
  The Journal of nutrition, health and aging.2024; 28(9): 100335.     CrossRef
• The Association between Personality Factors and Metabolic Parameters among Patients with Non-Alcoholic-Fatty Liver Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus—A Cross-Sectional Study
  Marcin Kosmalski, Rafał Frankowski, Monika Różycka-Kosmalska, Kasper Sipowicz, Tadeusz Pietras, Łukasz Mokros
  Journal of Clinical Medicine.2023; 12(13): 4468.     CrossRef
• Nutrition fact label (NFL) use is related to meeting the requirements for vitamins and minerals not listed on NFLs: Data from the Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey VIII (2019–2021) for the prepandemic and pandemic periods
  Jung Min Cho, Niravkumar Joshi
  PLOS ONE.2023; 18(12): e0296268.     CrossRef
• Association between Prediabetes and Meal Patterns Related to Meal Sharing among Korean Young Adults: Eighth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2019–2020
  Saebom Kim, Sehee Kim, Youngmin Kim, Seonmi Seo, Yu Jin Chung, Sam Cheol Kim
  Korean Journal of Family Practice.2023; 13(3): 179.     CrossRef
• Meal Frequency, Metabolic Health, and Social Norms
  Young Gyu Cho
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2022; 43(5): 275.     CrossRef

Background
Continuity of care in primary care settings is crucial for managing diabetes. We aimed to statistically define and analyze continuity factors associated with demographics, clinical workforce, and geographical relationships.
Methods
We used 2014–2015 National Health Insurance Service claims data from the Korean registry, with 39,096 eligible outpatient attendance. We applied multivariable logistic regression to analyze factors that may affect the continuity of care indices for each patient: the most frequent provider continuity index (MFPCI), modified-modified continuity index (MMCI), and continuity of care index (COCI).
Results
The mean continuity of care indices were 0.90, 0.96, and 0.85 for MFPCI, MMCI and COCI, respectively. Among patient factors, old age >80 years (MFPCI: odds ratio [OR], 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74–0.89; MMCI: OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.76–0.92; and COCI: OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.74–0.89) and mild disability were strongly associated with lower continuity of care. Another significant factor was the residential area: the farther the patients lived from their primary care clinic, the lower the continuity of diabetes care (MFPCI: OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.70–0.78; MMCI: OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.66–0.73; and COCI: OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.70–0.78).
Conclusion
The geographical proximity of patients’ residential areas and clinic locations showed the strongest correlation as a continuity factor. Further efforts are needed to improve continuity of care to address the geographical imbalance in diabetic care.

Citations

• Association of rurality and decreased continuity of care prior to a diagnosis of prediabetes
  Bobbie L. Johannes, Arch G. Mainous, Alex R. Chang, H. Lester Kirchner, G. Craig Wood, Christopher D. Still, Lisa Bailey‐Davis
  The Journal of Rural Health.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Disease prevention measures applicable to primary healthcare clinics
  Jae-Heon Kang
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2024; 67(4): 226.     CrossRef
• Association between continuity of care and inappropriate prescribing in outpatient care in Germany: a cross-sectional analysis conducted as part of the LoChro trial
  Aline Pfefferle, Nadine Binder, Julia Sauer, Mario Sofroniou, Gloria Metzner, Erik Farin, Sebastian Voigt-Radloff, Andy Maun, Claudia Salm
  BMJ Open.2024; 14(7): e082245.     CrossRef
• COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the continuity of care for chronic patients: evidence from a cross-sectional retrospective study in a developing country
  Abbasali Dehghani Tafti, Azadeh Fatehpanah, Ibrahim Salmani, Mohammad Amin Bahrami, Hossien Tavangar, Hossien Fallahzadeh, Ali Ahmadi Tehrani, Sajjad Bahariniya, Gholamreza Ahmadi Tehrani
  BMC Primary Care.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Evaluating the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on hypertension and diabetes care in South Korea: an interrupted time series analysis
  Boram Sim, Sunmi Kim, Eun Woo Nam
  BMC Public Health.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• The Impact of Continuity of Care on Health Indicators in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Family Medicine Clinics in Riyadh
  Ghada Hussein, Aljoharah A Al Saud, Ahmad M Siddiqi, Abdallah Khasawinah, Ahmad Alenezi, Riham A Mohammed, Yaser A Alendijani
  Cureus.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• The Role of Continuity of Care in the Management of Chronic Disease
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2022; 43(4): 207.     CrossRef

Background
Folic acid is involved in inflammatory reactions; however, the association between folic acid and allergic diseases, particularly asthma, remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the association between serum folic acid levels and asthma in Koreans.
Methods
This study analyzed the serum folic acid levels of 6,615 individuals included in the 2016–2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The prevalence of asthma was determined using a questionnaire that identified cases of physician-diagnosed asthma. The relationship between serum folic acid levels and asthma was analyzed using logistic regression analysis.
Results
Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that a 1 ng/mL increase in serum folic acid level significantly reduced the risk of asthma after adjusting for confounding factors including sex, age, household income, current smoking, current alcohol use, and body mass index (odds ratio [OR], 0.930; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.876– 0.987; P=0.017). The relationship between the adjusted odds of asthma and serum folic acid levels were consistently inverse (OR, 2.266; 95% CI, 1.126–4.420; P for trend=0.038).
Conclusion
Serum folic acid levels are inversely associated with physician-diagnosed asthma in the Korean population.

Citations

• Association between serum folate levels and blood eosinophil counts in American adults with asthma: Results from NHANES 2011–2018
  Jun Wen, Changfen Wang, Mohan Giri, Shuliang Guo
  Frontiers in Immunology.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef

Background
The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between near work time and depression.
Methods
Data of 1,551 workers aged 19–49 years from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were examined. The Patient Health Questionaire-9 scores were used to screen for depression. Participants who scored a total of 10 or above, which is suggestive of the presence of depression, were classified as the depression group; the rest were classified as normal. The correlation between daily near work time and depression was analyzed using multivariate logistic analysis after adjusting for other sociodemographic and health behavior-related variables.
Results
Multivariate logistic analysis found that workers with 3 or more hours of near work were more likely to report depression compared to the reference group who had 2 or fewer hours per day of near work (adjusted odds ratio, 2.471; 95% confidence interval, 1.062–5.747).
Conclusion
Longer near work time was associated with depression among South Korea’s workers. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce near work time to prevent depression.

Background
Tobacco smoking is associated with several diseases and deaths in older Koreans. This study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with smoking cessation in older Koreans.
Methods
We selected 579 subjects who started smoking before the age of 65 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2018. We excluded the subjects who quit smoking before the age of 65 years, and then categorized the rest of subjects into those who stopped smoking after the age of 65 years and those who are constant smokers. Multivariable logistic analysis was performed to evaluate the factors related to smoking cessation among older Koreans.
Results
Among the participants, 66.1% were persistent smokers. After multivariable analysis, the factors significantly associated with smoking cessation were as follows: being in the age group of 75–79 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.12–7.83), being in the age group of 70–74 years (aOR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.72–5.61), a family history of ischemic heart disease (aOR, 3.36; 95% CI, 1.09–10.35), and having had no cancer screening (aOR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.18–0.70).
Conclusion
Further efforts to identify the factors related to smoking cessation will help formulate a smoking cessation policy.

Citations

• Current status of health promotion in Korea
  Soo Young Kim
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2022; 65(12): 776.     CrossRef

Background
This study aimed to evaluate the association between the high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in Korean men.
Methods
This cross-sectional study analyzed the data of 3,705 men (age 30–64 years) who participated in the 2014–2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). SSB intake was defined as the sum of the intakes of carbonated beverages and fruit juices. Participants were categorized into study groups depending on their intake of SSBs: ≤2, 3–4, or ≥5 times per week. High CVD risk was defined as a 10-year risk of more than 10%, based on the Framingham Heart Study 10-year CVD Risk Calculator. The association between high CVD risk and SSB intake was evaluated using a multivariable-adjusted logistic regression model.
Results
Korean men who consumed SSBs 3–4 and ≥5 times a week showed a multivariate-adjusted odds ratio of 1.49 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–2.11) and 1.61 (95% CI, 0.97–2.67) for high CVD risk, respectively, compared with those who consumed SSBs ≤2 times per week. Additionally, the risk of CVD increased with the increase in the intake of SSBs (P-trend=0.01). In subgroup analysis, no association was observed between SSB intake and high CVD risk in the group with regular physical activity (P for interaction=0.01).
Conclusion
In Korean men, except those with regular physical activity, SSB intake ≥3 times a week is associated with a high risk for CVD (10-year CVD risk ≥10%).

Citations

• The Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases Attributed to Diet High in Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in 204 Countries and Territories From 1990 to 2019
  Donglei Shi, Yujia Tao, Li Wei, Dongqing Yan, Hongsen Liang, Junhang Zhang, Zhaojun Wang
  Current Problems in Cardiology.2024; 49(1): 102043.     CrossRef
• Factors affecting sugar intake in adults based on the social cognitive theory
  Kilye Kim, Yeon-Kyung Lee
  Journal of Nutrition and Health.2024; 57(1): 120.     CrossRef
• Association of Urine (pH < 5.5) with Community Periodontal Index (CPI) and the Number of Remaining Teeth in Korean Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Data from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2018
  Su-Yeon Hwang, Jung-Eun Park
  Healthcare.2024; 12(7): 740.     CrossRef
• Health-Related Behaviors and Perceived Health Status According to Water and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake in Korean Adolescents
  Yoon Sun Kim, Hyun Ja Kim
  Nutrients.2024; 16(17): 3038.     CrossRef
• A Study on the Relationship between Food Security and the Number of Remaining Teeth in Korean Adults: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII), 2016–2018
  Su-Yeon Hwang, Jung-Eun Park
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2023; 20(4): 2964.     CrossRef
• A machine learning based decision tree analysis of influential factor for the number of remaining teeth in Korean adults
  Su-Yeon Hwang, Jung-Eun Park
  Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health.2023; 47(1): 26.     CrossRef
• High intake of sweet foods and low life satisfaction can act as risk factors for acute coronary syndrome through synergistic interaction
  Jisun So, Kyong-Mee Chung, Jihyeon Seo, Byungmi Kim, Hyejin Chun, Sung Nim Han, Ick-Mo Chung
  Frontiers in Nutrition.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• A study on the relationship between food insecurity and periodontitis in Korean adults: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII) from 2016-2018
  Soo-Jin Kang, Jung-Eun Park, Jong-Hwa Jang
  Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health.2023; 47(3): 106.     CrossRef
• Association between Healthy Lifestyle (Diet Quality, Physical Activity, Normal Body Weight) and Periodontal Diseases in Korean Adults
  Su-Yeon Hwang, Jong-Hwa Jang, Jung-Eun Park
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(7): 3871.     CrossRef
• Association between Stroke and Abdominal Obesity in the Middle-Aged and Elderly Korean Population: KNHANES Data from 2011–2019
  Jong Yeon Kim, Sung Min Cho, Youngmin Yoo, Taesic Lee, Jong Koo Kim
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(10): 6140.     CrossRef
• Association of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality in a Large Young Cohort of Nearly 300,000 Adults (Age 20–39)
  Chien-Hua Chen, Min-Kuang Tsai, June-Han Lee, Christopher Wen, Chi-Pang Wen
  Nutrients.2022; 14(13): 2720.     CrossRef
• The Perception of Overweight and Obesity among South African Adults: Implications for Intervention Strategies
  Mashudu Manafe, Paul Kiprono Chelule, Sphiwe Madiba
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(19): 12335.     CrossRef
• Current status of nutrient intake in Korea: focused on macronutrients
  Seung-Won Oh
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2022; 65(12): 801.     CrossRef
• Current status of health promotion in Korea
  Soo Young Kim
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2022; 65(12): 776.     CrossRef
• Association between Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake and Dietary Quality using Nutritional Quotient among Adults in Daegu, Korea
  Kilye Kim, Yeon-Kyung Lee
  Korean Journal of Community Nutrition.2021; 26(5): 350.     CrossRef

Background
Handgrip strength (HGS) is a good predictor of adverse health outcomes in later life. This prospective study aimed to investigate whether HGS trajectory patterns were associated with all-cause mortality among older adults in Korea.
Methods
This study used the database of the 2006–2016 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging. Study participants included 3,069 adults aged ≥65 years without a previous history of cancer. The trajectory model was developed to identify different homogeneous trajectory patterns of HGS according to study period. Cox proportional hazards models were then applied to investigate the association between HGS and all-cause mortality.
Results
The survival probability according to HGS during the follow-up period decreased as base HGS weakened. We identified four distinct trajectory groups of HGS among men and three among women. The risk of mortality increased as the HGS of both males and females decreased. Compared with the highest HGS group, the adjusted hazard ratios for all-cause mortality of the lowest, lower-mid, and upper-mid HGS groups among males were 3.46 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.17–6.69), 2.26 (95% CI, 1.47–3.48), and 1.58 (95% CI, 1.07–2.32). Those of the low and mid HGS groups among females were 2.69 (95% CI, 1.39–5.21) and 1.97 (95% CI, 1.05–3.69).
Conclusion
The faster HGS declined over time, the greater the all-cause mortality risk increased compared with the slowly decreasing or maintained HGS groups among men and women. HGS measurement among older adults will be helpful in assessing their health statuses and pre-assessing disease-associated morbidity.

Citations

• Longitudinal trajectories of handgrip strength and their association with motoric cognitive risk syndrome in older adults
  Hui Chang, Yu Zhao
  Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics.2024; 120: 105334.     CrossRef
• Association of absolute and relative hand grip strength with all-cause mortality among middle-aged and old-aged people
  Wonjeong Jeong, Jong Youn Moon, Jae-Hyun Kim
  BMC Geriatrics.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Analysis of the association between osteoporosis and muscle strength in Korean adults: a national cross-sectional study
  Ji-Young Choi, Young-Mo Yang
  Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Grip Strength Measurement in the Right Hand Better Predicts Mortality Regardless of Dominant Hand
  Yun-A Shin, Won-Ho Choi, Jae-Hyun Kim
  Exercise Science.2022; 31(1): 110.     CrossRef
• Longitudinal association of handgrip strength with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in older adults using a causal framework
  Rubén López-Bueno, Lars Louis Andersen, Joaquín Calatayud, José Casaña, Lee Smith, Louis Jacob, Ai Koyanagi, José Francisco López-Gil, Borja del Pozo Cruz
  Experimental Gerontology.2022; 168: 111951.     CrossRef
• Importance of Handgrip Strength as a Health Indicator in the Elderly
  Soo Young Kim
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2021; 42(1): 1.     CrossRef
• Grip Strength as a Cardiometabolic Marker
  Jungun Lee
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2020; 41(5): 271.     CrossRef

Background
Recently, single-person households have increased in Korea and this trend may have potential public health implications and affect various health behaviors. This study investigated the associations between living alone and health behaviors such as smoking and alcohol consumption among Korean adults.
Methods
We used data from the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2013 and 2015 and a total of 17,088 adults were included. We performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis and calculated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
Single-person households accounted for about 10% of the total participants. The proportions of currently smoking and heavy alcohol consumption were higher among individuals living alone than those living together among younger women and middle-aged and elderly men and women. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, living alone was associated with increased odds of currently smoking compared to living together among middle-aged men and women (OR, 7.37; 95% CI, 2.33–23.32 in men and OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.04–5.36 in women) after adjusting for confounding variables.
Conclusion
From this nationwide, population-based study, we found that living alone is associated with increased odds of currently smoking, especially in middle-aged people. Public health concerns may be warranted for middle-aged single-person households to reduce health risks related to smoking.

Citations

• Associations of social isolation with sleep duration and sleep quality in the elderly: Mediating influence of depression
  Hong-Ying Yang, Lian Li, Lu-Jie Yu, Guo-Lin Bian
  World Journal of Psychiatry.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Living alone and cancer mortality by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status among US working‐age adults
  Hyunjung Lee, Gopal K. Singh, Ahmedin Jemal, Farhad Islami
  Cancer.2024; 130(1): 86.     CrossRef
• Association between living alone and all-cause mortality of young and middle-aged patients with acute myocardial infarction: analysis of the China Acute Myocardial Infarction (CAMI) registry
  Yu Jiang, Jin-Gang Yang, Hai-Yan Qian, Yue-Jin Yang
  BMC Public Health.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Smaller household size and higher prevalence of serious psychological distress in younger people and never-married people: a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Japan
  Kimiko Tomioka, Midori Shima, Keigo Saeki
  Frontiers in Public Health.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Longitudinal associations between living alone, childlessness and mental health and mortality in ageing adults in Thailand
  Supa Pengpid, Karl Peltzer, Dararatt Anantanasuwong, Wasin Kaewchankha
  Global Transitions.2024; 6: 145.     CrossRef
• The influencing factors of health status among low-income individuals living alone in Wuxi, China
  Shiming Li, Yue Wu, Queping Yang, Ying Jiang, Haohao Zhu
  Scientific Reports.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Стресові стани українців, які проживають соло, під час війни
  Дар’я Яшкіна
  Sociological Studios.2024; (2(25)): 34.     CrossRef
• Determinants of Problem Drinking by Regional Variation among Adult Males in Single-Person Households: Geographically Weighted Regression Model Analysis
  Junggeun Ahn, Heeseung Choi, Jiu Kim
  Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing.2023; 53(1): 101.     CrossRef
• Six-year mortality associated with living alone and loneliness in Swedish men and women born in 1930
  Masuma Novak, Margda Waern, Lena Johansson, Anna Zettergren, Lina Ryden, Hanna Wetterberg, Therese Rydberg Sterner, Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg, Pia Gudmundsson, Ingmar Skoog
  BMC Geriatrics.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Association between Increasing Social Capital and Decreasing Prevalence of Smoking at the Municipality Level: Repeated Cross-Sectional Study from the JAGES
  Hiroki Takeuchi, Kazushige Ide, Ryota Watanabe, Yasuhiro Miyaguni, Katsunori Kondo
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(8): 4472.     CrossRef
• Living Alone Is Not Associated With Cardiovascular Events and Hypoglycemia in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
  Zhaowei Zhu, Zhenyu Peng, Zhenhua Xing
  Frontiers in Public Health.2022;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Living alone and all-cause mortality in community-dwelling adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
  Yunli Zhao, Gordon Guyatt, Ya Gao, Qiukui Hao, Ream Abdullah, John Basmaji, Farid Foroutan
  eClinicalMedicine.2022; 54: 101677.     CrossRef
• Current status of health promotion in Korea
  Soo Young Kim
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2022; 65(12): 776.     CrossRef

Background
Dry sauna treatments improve the quality of life for chronic pain, congestive heart failure, and type 2 diabetes patients. This study aimed to determine whether dry sauna therapy improved the quality of life of obese people.
Methods
A total of 38 consecutive participants aged over 20 years with a body mass index of ≥25 kg/m² were recruited for the study. The participants were treated with a 90°C dry sauna for 15 minutes, twice daily for 4 consecutive days. To assess the quality of life, all participants completed the 5 level EQ-5D questionnaires and the EQ-Visual Analog Scale. Study parameters were measured on the same day prior to commencing the sauna sessions in a fasted state and 2 days after the last sauna session.
Results
The average age was 62.3±9.5 years; 84.2% of the participants were female. The mean body mass index was 28.5±2.4 kg/m². Dry sauna significantly improved the mean 5 level EQ-5D index scores from 0.83±0.12 to 0.89±0.11 and increased the mean EQ-Visual Analog Scale from 79.0±15.2 to 91.1±9.7. However, there were no significant changes in body mass index, blood pressure, heart rate, or body composition before and after the 8-session sauna therapy.
Conclusion
Dry sauna improved the health-related quality of life of obese patients without adverse events. Further clinical studies in larger study populations are needed to verify these findings and provide concrete evidence for obesity treatment.

Citations

• Clinical Implication of Korean Dry Sauna Therapy
  Teruhiko Imamura
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2021; 42(3): 257.     CrossRef

Background
Depression is suggested to be associated with cardiovascular disease, including ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. This study investigated the impact of depression on cardiovascular disease in the elderly population in Korea.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study was performed using the Senior Cohort database released by the Korean National Health Insurance Services from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2012, or January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2013. The study group constituted participants newly diagnosed with depression, but not cardiovascular disease. The control group constituted participants with no past history of depression or cardiovascular disease, and were not diagnosed with depression during the follow-up period. During the 5-year follow-up period, development of ischemic heart disease or cerebrovascular disease was assessed. Depression and cardiovascular disease were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, Clinical Modification codes. The data was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards model.
Results
The hazard ratio (HR) between depression and ischemic heart disease was 1.38 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23 to 1.55) and the HR between depression and cerebrovascular disease was 1.46 (95% CI, 1.32 to 1.62), after adjusting all confounding variables.
Conclusion
Independent of other cardiovascular risk factors, depression increased the risk of ischemic heart disease by 38% and cerebrovascular disease by 46% among older adults in Korea. Since depression may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, future research should focus on the diagnosis and prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with depression.

Citations

• The effect of scutellaria baicalensis and its active ingredients on major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of literature in pre-clinical research
  Ying Ma, Xun Zhou, Feng Zhang, Cuiyun Huang, Hong Yang, Wansheng Chen, Xia Tao
  Frontiers in Pharmacology.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• A Potential Role for MAGI-1 in the Bi-Directional Relationship Between Major Depressive Disorder and Cardiovascular Disease
  Priyanka Banerjee, Khanh Chau, Sivareddy Kotla, Eleanor L. Davis, Estefani Berrios Turcios, Shengyu Li, Zhang Pengzhi, Guangyu Wang, Gopi Krishna Kolluru, Abhishek Jain, John P. Cooke, Junichi Abe, Nhat-Tu Le
  Current Atherosclerosis Reports.2024; 26(9): 463.     CrossRef
• The Connection Between Depression and Ischemic Heart Disease: Analyzing Demographic Characteristics, Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment Approaches to Identify Their Relationship
  Laura Ioana Bondar, Brigitte Osser, Gyongyi Osser, Mariana Adelina Mariș, Ligia Elisaveta Piroș, Robert Almășan, Csongor Toth, Caius Calin Miuta, Gabriel Roberto Marconi, Ana-Liana Bouroș-Tataru, Victor Măduța, Dana Tăședan, Mircea Ioachim Popescu
  Clinics and Practice.2024; 14(5): 2166.     CrossRef
• Psycho-Cardiological Disease: A Bibliometric Review From 2001 to 2021
  Yaping You, Xintian Shou, Xuesong Zhang, Shaowei Fan, Ruoning Chai, Wenjing Xue, Yuanhui Hu, Qingyong He
  Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine.2022;[Epub]     CrossRef
• A comprehensive review on bioavailability, safety and antidepressant potential of natural bioactive components from tea
  Jie Shao, Yang Wei, Xinlin Wei
  Food Research International.2022; 158: 111540.     CrossRef

Background
Tobacco smoking is the most preventable cause of diseases and death in older adults. This study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with the intention to quit smoking in elderly Korean men.
Methods
We investigated 813 male smokers aged 65 years or more from the 5th and 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2015. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors related with smoking cessation intention.
Results
Of the respondents, 26.3% had the intention to quit smoking. After adjustment for confounding factors, the intention to quit smoking was significantly associated with a history of ischemic heart disease (adjusted odds ratio, 1.88; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–3.48).
Conclusion
Identifying the factors related to the intention to quit smoking among older adults can help in developing effective smoking cessation strategies for this section of the population.

Citations

• Factors Associated with Quit Intentions among Adult Smokers in South Korea: Findings from the 2020 ITC Korea Survey
  Minjung Han, Donghee Seo, Yeol Kim, Hong Gwan Seo, Sung-il Cho, Sungkyu Lee, Sujin Lim, Susan C. Kaai, Anne C. K. Quah, Mi Yan, Steve S. Xu, Geoffrey T. Fong
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(17): 10839.     CrossRef
• Factors that Predict Smoking Cessation among Older Koreans: Based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2018
  Han Kyul Lim, Yong Soon Park, Jeong Hyeon Kim, Jeong Hyun Kim
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2021; 42(5): 363.     CrossRef

Background
Smartphone usage is indispensably beneficial to people’s everyday lives. However, excessive smartphone usage has been associated with physical and mental health problems. This study aimed to evaluate the association of smartphone usage with depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts in Korean adolescents.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted in 54,603 Korean adolescent participants (26,930 male and 27,673 female) in the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 2017 who reported their smartphone use. We performed multiple logistic regression analysis to evaluate the association of smartphone use with mental health after adjusting for relevant covariates.
Results
Among the participants, 25.6% of male students and 38.4% of female students reported using their smartphone for at least 30 hours per week. As time duration of smartphone usage increased, the risk of experiencing depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempt tended to increase, with odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of 1.18 (1.10–1.26), 1.18 (1.08–1.29), and 1.34 (1.11–1.60), respectively, for high smartphone usage compared with low smartphone usage. These associations remained significant with only slight change in odds ratios after consideration of problems that may be caused by smartphone usage, such as conflicts with family members or peers, or disturbance in school work.
Conclusion
Smartphone overuse was independently associated with an increased risk of mental health problems, which did not seem to be mediated by the problems caused by smartphone usage.

Citations

• Factors Influencing Suicidal Ideation in Female Adolescents With Smartphone Overdependence
  Hyeongyeong Yoon
  Journal of Pediatric Health Care.2025; 39(2): 225.     CrossRef
• Excessive smartphone use, smartphone dependency and body image distortion in Korean adolescents
  Young Gyu Cho
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(2): 58.     CrossRef
• COVID-19 lockdown related stress among young adults: The role of drug use disorder, neurotic health symptoms, and pathological smartphone use
  Groupson-Paul Okechukwu, Macpherson Uchenna Nnam, Clement E Obadimu, David O. Iloma, Peter Offu, Fidelis Okpata, Emmanuel Ugochukwu Nwakanma
  Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice.2024; 24(2): 192.     CrossRef
• How does smartphone addiction affect the lives of adolescents socially and academically?: a systematic review study
  Sinem Cilligol Karabey, Abdulkadir Palanci, Zeynep Turan
  Psychology, Health & Medicine.2024; 29(3): 631.     CrossRef
• Shifting Mindsets; A Critical Commentary on Child Protection and Welfare, Disability, and Online Risk Through Critical Literature Review
  Rose Doolan Maher, Susan Flynn, Julie Byrne
  Child Care in Practice.2024; 30(1): 38.     CrossRef
• Latent class analysis of health behaviors, anxiety, and suicidal behaviors among Korean adolescents
  Mi-Sun Lee, Hooyeon Lee
  Journal of Affective Disorders.2024; 354: 339.     CrossRef
• Association between smartphone overdependence and mental health in South Korean adolescents: a secondary data analysis
  Hyeseon Yun, Eun Kyoung Choi
  Child Health Nursing Research.2024; 30(2): 87.     CrossRef
• Problematic Smartphone Use and Its Impact on the Psychology of Adolescents in Malaysia
  Hazwanim Hashim, Hizlinda Tohid, Teh Rohaila Jamil, Nik Ruzyanei Nik Jaafar, Shamsul Azhar Shah
  Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities.2023; 31(2): 505.     CrossRef
• Increased psychological distress among young people before and during the fifth wave of COVID-19 after two years of pandemic in Hong Kong: a 6-month longitudinal study
  Stephanie MY Wong, Eric YH Chen, YN Suen, Winky Ho, Sherry KW Chan, Edwin HM Lee, KT Chan, Simon SY Lui, Michael TH Wong, Christy LM Hui
  BMC Psychiatry.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Does Excessive Smartphone Use Reduce Physical Activity in Adolescents?
  Soo Young Kim
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2023; 44(5): 247.     CrossRef
• Problematic Smartphone Use and Its Relationship With Anxiety and Suicidal Ideation Among South Korean Adolescents
  Mi-Sun Lee, Hooyeon Lee
  Psychiatry Investigation.2023; 20(9): 843.     CrossRef
• Smartphone addiction and perceived pain among nursing students: a cross-sectional study
  Kamuran Özdil, Aslıhan Çatıker, Gizem Deniz Bulucu Büyüksoy
  Psychology, Health & Medicine.2022; 27(10): 2246.     CrossRef
• Cortical surface variation in individuals with excessive smartphone use
  Dusan Hirjak, Gudrun M. Henemann, Mike M. Schmitgen, Larissa Götz, Nadine D. Wolf, Katharina M. Kubera, Fabio Sambataro, Tagrid Leménager, Julian Koenig, Robert Christian Wolf
  Developmental Neurobiology.2022; 82(4): 277.     CrossRef
• Association of Smartphone Use With Body Image Distortion and Weight Loss Behaviors in Korean Adolescents
  Sohyeon Kwon, Rockli Kim, Jong-Tae Lee, Jinho Kim, Sunmi Song, Seongcheol Kim, Hannah Oh
  JAMA Network Open.2022; 5(5): e2213237.     CrossRef
• Impact of Digital Literacy and Problematic Smartphone Use on Life Satisfaction: Comparing Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Pandemic
  Busra Taskin, Chiho Ok
  European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education.2022; 12(9): 1311.     CrossRef
• Combined Effects of Smartphone Overdependence and Stress on Depression and Suicide-Related Behaviors among High School Students
  Hyesun Kim
  Healthcare.2022; 10(9): 1671.     CrossRef
• Smartphone Usage before and during COVID-19: A Comparative Study Based on Objective Recording of Usage Data
  Khansa Chemnad, Sameha Alshakhsi, Mohamed Basel Almourad, Majid Altuwairiqi, Keith Phalp, Raian Ali
  Informatics.2022; 9(4): 98.     CrossRef
• Excessive Smartphone Use Is Associated With Health Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults
  Yehuda Wacks, Aviv M. Weinstein
  Frontiers in Psychiatry.2021;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Fatores relacionados à dependência do smartphone em adolescentes de uma região do Nordeste brasileiro
  Paula Pessoa de Brito Nunes, Ana Paula Vasconcellos Abdon, Claudiana Batista de Brito, Francisco Valter Miranda Silva, Ionara Conceição Araújo Santos, Daniele de Queiroz Martins, Phelipe Maia Fonseca Meira, Mirna Albuquerque Frota
  Ciência & Saúde Coletiva.2021; 26(7): 2749.     CrossRef
• Excessive and Problematic Smartphone Use and Poor Mental Health in Adolescents
  Young Gyu Cho
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2020; 41(2): 73.     CrossRef

Background
This study compared chronic diseases and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in between primary care underserved areas residents and the general population.
Methods
Underserved areas were identified according to accessibility and the time relevance index for primary care. Overall, 279 participants aged ≥60 years from four counties enrolled voluntarily. A total of 1,873 individuals were assigned in the control group using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database. We assessed the differences in prevalence, awareness, and control of hypertension and diabetes and HRQoL using both subjective health status and the Korean version of the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) questionnaire using multivariate logistic regression analysis between the two groups.
Results
For hypertension, prevalence did not differ significantly between the two groups, whereas awareness and control were lower in the underserved areas than that in the general population; the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) were 0.40 (0.25–0.64) and 0.27 (0.18–0.41), respectively. For diabetes, differences in prevalence, awareness, and control were statistically insignificant. The proportion reporting poor subjective health status and problems in four EQ-5D indexes (ability to exercise, daily activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression) was higher in the underserved areas, which also had a lower EQ-5D index, than that in the general population.
Conclusion
Primary care underserved area residents were underdiagnosed and under-controlled for hypertension and reported poorer subjective health and HRQoL compared to the general population. Primary care is the attributable factor to awareness and control of chronic diseases and subjective health and QoL in communities.

Citations

• Measuring the Burden of Disease in Korea Using Disability-Adjusted Life Years (2008–2020)
  Yoon-Sun Jung, Young-Eun Kim, Minsu Ock, Seok-Jun Yoon
  Journal of Korean Medical Science.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• The Association with COPD Readmission Rate and Access to Medical Institutions in Elderly Patients
  Tae Wan Kim, Eun Sil Choi, Woo Jin Kim, Heui Sug Jo
  International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.2021; Volume 16: 1599.     CrossRef
• Functional Status and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study
  Mihui Kim, Yesol Kim, Gi Wook Ryu, Mona Choi
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2021; 18(20): 10941.     CrossRef

Background
To investigate the relationship between hand grip strength (HGS) and self-rated health in middleand old-aged Korean subjects.
Methods
The data used for this study were derived from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging. A total of 9,132 participants were enrolled using the year 2006 as the baseline, with additional data collected throughout the followup period until 2016. Chi-square test and generalized estimating equation regression models were used for data analysis. HGS was measured in a sitting position with the elbow fixed at 90° on both sides using a dynamometer, and calculated using the values measured from both sides. Relative HGS was measured by dividing HGS by the subject’s body mass index. Self-rated health was assessed with the question “How would you rate your current health in general?” and answers were categorized as “excellent,” “moderate,” or “poor.”
Results
HGS was shown to be inversely associated with self-rated health (odds ratio [OR], 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93–0.94; P<0.0001). Patients aged 65 years or older with lower scores were more likely to report poor self-rated health. Similar results were obtained with relative HGS (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.36–0.45; P<0.0001), but standard HGS had better model fitting (quasi-likelihood under independence model criteria=33,890).
Conclusion
HGS may be considered an index for the diagnosis of sarcopenia and may also affect self-rated health, which is a multidimensional indicator of an individual’s health status and can identify patients who may require special attention.

Citations

• Factors Leading to a Decrease in Grip Strength Among the Oldest Old: A Large, Representative, Longitudinal Survey
  André Hajek, Hans-Helmut König
  Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.2024; 25(4): 672.     CrossRef
• Sarcopenia and risk factors among Japanese community‐dwelling older adults during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A cross‐sectional study
  Natsuka Ogawa, Shan Yun, Miku Izutsu, Michiko Yuki
  Nursing & Health Sciences.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Differential associations of physical job demands with cognitive impairment in Korean workers aged 45 and older: a 14-year longitudinal study using the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA)
  Jea Chul Ha, Jin-Ha Yoon
  BMJ Open.2024; 14(10): e088000.     CrossRef
• Factors Affecting Handgrip Strength in Menopausal Women at High Risk of Sarcopenia: A National Population-Based Study
  Anna Lee, Sooyeon Park
  Healthcare.2024; 12(24): 2590.     CrossRef
• Association of absolute and relative hand grip strength with all-cause mortality among middle-aged and old-aged people
  Wonjeong Jeong, Jong Youn Moon, Jae-Hyun Kim
  BMC Geriatrics.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Associations between grip strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiovascular risk and mental health in forcibly displaced people from a Greek refugee camp
  Markus Gerber, Konstantinia Filippou, Florian Knappe, Ioannis D. Morres, Emmanouil Tzormpatzakis, Elsa Havas, Harald Seelig, Flora Colledge, Sebastian Ludyga, Marianne Meier, Yannis Theodorakis, Roland von Känel, Uwe Pühse, Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis
  Scientific Reports.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Mediation of Grip Strength on the Association Between Self-Rated Health and Estimated Cardiovascular Disease Risk
  Kayoung Lee
  Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders.2022; 20(6): 344.     CrossRef
• Relationship between handgrip strength and self-reported functional difficulties among older Indian adults: The role of self-rated health
  T. Muhammad, Babul Hossain, Ayushi Das, Muhammed Rashid
  Experimental Gerontology.2022; 165: 111833.     CrossRef
• The neighborhood effect of cognitive function on self-rated health: A population-based observational study
  Jae-Hyun Kim
  Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics.2021; 93: 104285.     CrossRef
• KLoSA—Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging
  Jungun Lee
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2020; 41(1): 1.     CrossRef
• Grip Strength as a Cardiometabolic Marker
  Jungun Lee
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2020; 41(5): 271.     CrossRef

Background
Serum-ferritin levels may be associated with psychiatric symptoms among the elderly; however, this association has not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between serumferritin levels and mental health issues in older Koreans.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included large-scale national data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2012. In total, 1,802 older Koreans (≥65 years old) were included. The assessed psychiatric symptoms included short sleep duration, stress, depressed mood, and suicidal ideation. Any association between serum-ferritin levels and mental health issues according to sex was examined using logistic regression analysis.
Results
The prevalence of short sleep duration, stress, depressed mood, and suicidal ideation was 50.9%, 21.7%, 18.2%, and 22.5%, respectively. In men, suicidal ideation decreased with increased serum-ferritin levels after multivariate adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors and comorbidities. The odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of suicidal ideation by quartiles of serum-ferritin level were 1 (reference), 1.132 (95% CI, 0.569–2.252), 0.453 (95% CI, 0.217–0.945), and 0.608 (95% CI, 0.295–1.253), respectively, (P for trend=0.039). In women, no trend was observed. However, compared to the lowest quartile, short sleep duration (<7 h) and stress perception were significantly decreased in the third quartile, with odds ratios of 0.601 (95% CI, 0.461–0.888), and 0.606 (95% CI, 0.386–0.952), respectively.
Conclusion
Moderate serum-ferritin levels were associated with decreased risk for suicide ideation in men, and were associated with decreased short sleep duration and stress perception in women.

Citations

• Association between suicide attempts and anemia in late-life depression inpatients
  Jie Li, Lan Wang, Ziyi Wang, Fengxue Zhao, Yadi Sun, Ying Lu, Lei Yang
  BMC Geriatrics.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Sleep quality and Laboratory Findings in Patients with Varicose Vein Leg Pain
  Acır Ibrahim, Atay Zeynep Vildan Okudan , Atay Mehmet , Yayla Vildan
  Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Disorders.2023; 7(1): 022.     CrossRef
• Alteration of Inflammatory Parameters and Psychological Post-Traumatic Syndrome in Long-COVID Patients
  Irma Clemente, Gaia Sinatti, Antonio Cirella, Silvano Junior Santini, Clara Balsano
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(12): 7103.     CrossRef
• Psychological and Cognitive Effects of Long COVID: A Narrative Review Focusing on the Assessment and Rehabilitative Approach
  Rosaria De Luca, Mirjam Bonanno, Rocco Salvatore Calabrò
  Journal of Clinical Medicine.2022; 11(21): 6554.     CrossRef
• Suicidal Ideation in Major Depressed Individuals: Role of Type D Personality
  Mokhtar Abdelhakim Laoufi, Benjamin Wacquier, Tristan Lartigolle, Gwenolé Loas, Matthieu Hein
  Journal of Clinical Medicine.2022; 11(22): 6611.     CrossRef