Search

This study investigated the effects of multisensory memory strategies of pairing visual and aural learning strategies of aural lexical advance organizers (LAO) and read-alouds on 146 Korean high school students learning the meaning and pronunciation of 18 unfamiliar English words. In this quasi-experimental design, the control group learned the words on a single mode of written LAO and silent reading as opposed to two treatment groups of aural LAO and silent reading, and of aural LAO and read-alouds, respectively. The effects were tested three times via pre-, post-(immediately after learning), and delayed (30 days later) tests. The immediate and long-term effects were examined by detecting the differences across the three groups in post- and delayed-tests by one-way ANOVA, and the retention of effects was examined by paired t-tests in each group across the three tests. The results indicated that pairing aural LAO and read-aloud strategies was most effective in learning and retention of both vocabulary meaning and pronunciation.

This study aims to explore how to use an AI chatbot pedagogically in scientific inquiry by developing a guided-inquiry activity using an AI chatbot and applying it. The developed guided-inquiry activity consisted of designing and doing inquiry activities using the transmission of sound as the topic. In this activity, a chatbot, which was given the name Inquirybot, was designed with conversation flow and scripts for guiding the inquiry design process. By applying the developed inquiry activities and Inquirybot to fifth- and sixth-grade gifted students, we found several practical possibilities and challenges for using an AI chatbot in scientific inquiry. Based on the results, future tasks and educational implications are discussed in terms of efficiently adapting AI chatbots in scientific-inquiry activities.

This is an exploratory study on returning migrants as adult learners preparing to return to their home countries. We examined the educational needs and learning experiences of nine Mongolian migrants returning from South Korea who participated in vocational education programs for imminent returnees. Our qualitative analysis found that returning migrants have (a) the need to bring viable skills back to their home countries, (b) the need to learn how to start a business, and (c) the need to prove their experience and skills acquired in South Korea. Participants' vocational education experiences revealed that current educational practices (a) provide knowledge that is too basic and abstract to meet migrants' needs, and (b) lack variety to meet individuals' needs to develop their skills; however, (c) they did enable migrants to share information and ideas about their upcoming return to Mongolia. Based on the findings, we identified key issues that must be considered to support migrants' sustainable return to their home countries. The study's limitations and suggestions for future research are provided to support various types of return migrants and their needs.

Intercultural sensitivity is the affective dimension of intercultural competence. Recently, the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (ISS) was validated for Korean samples, which raised conceptual, translational, and metrological problems. This study improved on the previous ISS Korean version, developed the Respect for Diversity Scale (RDS), and reanalysed the results according to gender and school level. The sample comprised 542 native Korean-speaking high school and college students. Both scales confirmed the validity of 12 items across four dimensions. Notably, the mean ISS scores exceeded those of the RDS across most factors. Gender differences exhibited significance in the scores of both scales, while school-level differences did not prove significant. This study contributes to the literature that has adapted and validated the ISS with participants from non-English-speaking cultures. Additionally, it sheds light on the relationship between the ISS and measures of general diversity appreciation, highlighting variations based on participants' background characteristics.

This study examines L2 fluency in speaking interactions based on the number and type of utterances. The participants were 25 Korean eighth-grade learners of English as a foreign language. They performed five communicative tasks in groups, and their speaking interactions were audio-recorded and analyzed to measure the frequencies of sentence-level and word-level utterances. Results showed that learners of different levels of L2 fluency greatly varied in their frequencies of sentence-level utterances. Construction-based analyses found that the frequency variation in sentence-level utterances was primarily attributable to the transitive construction and a small set of intransitive constructions. Further investigation of the transitive complementation patterns suggested that L2 learners' use of the nominal complementation [V+NP] became more productive as they expanded their repertoires of transitive complementation in developmental sequence based on a set of complementation clusters. Regarding these acquisitional patterns of the constructions in respect to L2 fluency development, the present study concludes with pedagogical implications and suggestions for future studies.

Spontaneous motion is one of the most basic event types, but different languages use varying patterns to express it. For example, English usually encodes path information in prepositional phrases or adverbial particles, while Korean maps path information onto verbs (Talmy, 1985). This study predicts that this typological difference would affect English spontaneous motion expressions produced by Korean learners and analyzes two English-language speech corpora, one, the data from native speakers (600 recordings), and the other, data from L1- Korean learners of English (400 recordings). It finds that the learners significantly underuse satellite-framed patterns, but not verb-framed patterns, compared with the native speakers, suggesting that the L1 plays a role in their L2 production. The satellite-framed patterns, however, account for the greatest portion of spontaneous motion expressions in the L2 corpus, suggesting the dominant effect of input on L2 production. These findings lead to pedagogical implications concerning preventing L1 interference and fostering input-based L2 acquisition.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the Flipped Classroom (FC) approach on Tourism English learning. For the study, 93 students in a Tourism English (TE) course were encouraged to participate in the FC activities, designed by the PARTNER (Preparation, Assessment, Relevance, Team activity, Nub lecture, Evaluation and Reflection) model. A quasi-experiment was conducted for 15-weeks of a semester, and the effectiveness of the FC activities on the TE learning was analyzed in accordance with the course satisfaction, problem-solving skill, and collective efficacy. The problem-solving skill survey was designed to measure the cause analysis, alternative development, practice, and assessment, while the collective efficacy survey comprised items related to fostering leadership, exchanging ideas, evaluating ideas, and integrating ideas. In the findings, the FC activities showed the positive effect on the development of the problem-solving skills, collective efficacy, and course satisfaction. The pedagogical implications are discussed in terms of the FC activities on Tourism English learning in this study.

The lexicon of emotion words is fundamental to interpersonal communication. To examine how emotion word acquisition interacts with societal context, the present study investigated emotion word development in three groups of child Korean users aged 4-13 years: those who use Korean primarily outside the home as a majority language (MajKCs) or inside the home as a minority language (MinKCs), and those who use Korean both inside and outside the home (KCs). These groups, along with a group of L1 Korean adults, rated the emotional valence of 61 Korean emotion words varying in frequency, valence, and age of acquisition. Results showed KCs, MajKCs, and MinKCs all converging toward adult-like valence ratings by ages 11-13 years; unlike KCs and MajKCs, however, MinKCs did not show age-graded development and continued to diverge from adults in emotion word knowledge by these later ages. These findings support the view that societal context plays a major role in emotion word development, offering one reason for the intergenerational communication difficulties reported by immigrant families.

This study aimed to provide an empirical typology of a diffused school change movement in South Korea, known as the Hyukshin School movement. This movement has been diffused by a combination of bottom-up practices and top-down measures, employing a communitarian whole-school change strategy that promotes collaborative learning, students' voices, and democratic decision-making. In this study, the extent of teacher agency and degree of transformation are used as key criteria in distinguishing various types of change practice. To provide this empirical typology, we focused on all 55 Hyukshin Schools (40 middle schools and 15 high schools) at the secondary level as of 2019 in Seoul. Researchers performed extensive data collection by conducting interviews, collecting artifacts, observing teaching practices in selected classrooms, and visiting teacher-reflection sessions. Following this analysis, we created an empirical typology that characterized variations in the implementation of Hyukshin Schools by categorizing the 55 schools in terms of substantial (n = 31), functional (n = 6), nominal (n = 13), and segmented (n = 5) change. In this study, we hoped to provide insights for those considering diffusion strategies to cultivate innovative schools by identifying the key relevant aspects of the different types of change practices.

How strongly a verb is associated with a construction plays a crucial role in the learning of argument structure constructions. We examined the effect of verb-construction association strength on second language (L2) constructional generalization by analysing L2 learners' production and comprehension of two complex constructions (i.e. ditransitive and resultative), comparable in constructional complexity and input frequency but distinctive in verb-construction association. Using a learner corpus study, we found greater verbal usage variability in the production of ditransitive rather than resultative constructions. The results of an acceptability judgment task indicated that L2 learners accepted the ditransitive sentences regardless of whether they contained high-frequency or low-frequency verbs, but learners were more likely to accept the resultative sentences when they read high-frequency rather than low-frequency verbs. These findings suggest that verb-construction association affects the learning of argument structure constructions, supporting its contribution to the constructional generalization.

While some research suggests South Korea has fallen behind other developed nations with regard to publishing and using serious games in the classroom, Korean interest in video games remains extremely high. Due to a number of cultural, social, and technological factors, esports was primed to become a significant force in Korean culture and received significant support from the Ministry of Culture. The Korean Ministry of Education, meanwhile, is resistant to adopting educational games as a part of its accepted pedagogy. This resistance has created a significant gap between the interest in video games as a learning tool and that of video games as an industry and career path in Korea. While a number of factors play a role in the languishing serious games market, based on evidence analyzed through educational gaming literature it is unlikely educational gaming will be able to significantly advance without the support of the primary governing body controlling educational policy.

Utilisation of instructional videos for science teaching has become more widespread due to the expansion of online teaching and learning environments and growing awareness of benefits of videos, such as enabling use of effective multiple representations. With this in mind, this study aimed to examine features of instructional videos for teaching scientific inquiry, a key element of science education, and learners' engagement, a crucial issue in instruction in terms of representational strategies used. We analysed 16 instructional videos for science teaching generated by pre-service teachers. We found that the instructional videos tended to focus on posing a question related to a phenomenon and constructing its explanation conceptually rather than conducting investigations and interpreting the data. It was also found that there were alternations between providing relevant and conceptual resources and affording learners opportunities to answer questions verbally and visually to prompt their engagement. Various representational strategies, such as summarising, comparing, highlighting, sequencing, and presenting vivid phenomena, were also employed for better teaching scientific inquiry as a part of learners' ongoing cognitive activities. Based on the findings, we argue that there is potential for using instructional videos for teaching science, considering representational strategies in terms of scientific inquiry and learners' engagement.

The purpose of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Transformative Learning Outcomes and Processes Survey (TROPOS) in the workplace context. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis of the data gathered from 132 employees of a steel manufacturing company in the United States have shown that the TROPOS is an appropriate instrument for measuring transformative learning in the workplace context. Implications for transformative learning research and practice will be discussed.

The current research empirically examined the developmental networks of female workers and how the network configurations influence their subjective career success, with particular attention to the gender and status composition of the network along with other network characteristics. Data from 427 female workers with a college degree or higher in the Republic of Korea were analyzed using egocentric network analysis and structural equation modeling methods. The findings suggested that (a) the network characteristics of intimacy and network size showed a direct positive effect on career satisfaction, while contact frequency and network range showed a direct negative effect; (b) intimacy, network size, and developers' status indirectly affected career satisfaction mediated by the function of role modeling, while career support and psychosocial support played no mediating role between network characteristics and career satisfaction; and (c) women benefited from relationships with higher status developers, regardless of their gender, mainly through enhanced role modeling. Based on these, practical implications and recommendations for future research were presented.

This study aimed to investigate that the language policies of Korea have been changed to meet the needs of the globalized world. The purpose of this research was to examine how English language textbooks reflected the goals of the language policies of Korea for promoting the competences of Korea's young generation to participate in a global competition. As for the research methodology, English language textbook analysis was adopted because English language textbooks approved by the Korean government show the essential elements of Korea's globalization policies, as found in the contents of the English textbooks. The nine middle school textbooks published in 2015 and 2017 (one textbook in grades 7, 8, and 9 from 3 different publishing companies) were analyzed, focusing on the topical construction and cultural contents. The results of the textbook analysis showed that the topics of the textbooks were diverse and the cultural contents of English textbooks were varied so that the cultural awareness of Korean students could be expanded. So the language policies of Korea can be evaluated as appropriate for cultivating the young Korean generation's capabilities so as to participate in the globalized world.

Developing small learner and native corpora, this case study examines how Korean L2 learners used six types of lexical collocations in L2 writing to address (a) the frequency and acceptability of learner collocations, (b) problematic constituents of deviant collocations, and (c) possible sources of the learner difficulties. The overall frequency (about 8% of each corpus) and relative frequencies of each collocation type were similar between the learner and native corpora in descending order of adjective-noun, verb-noun, noun-noun, adverb-verb, adverb-adjective, and noun-verb combinations. The average and individual acceptability rates of each collocation type were around 70% and the problematic constituents were found both in nodes and collocates. L2 influence on learner difficulties mostly lied in confusions about synonyms, overuse of delexical verbs, and use of correct collocations in wrong contexts. Relying on L1 semantic representations, the learners produced non-habitual combinations, misrepresented the intended meaning, and paraphrased L2 collocations. Pedagogical implications arose for teaching L2 collocations about the importance of considering the immediate context of L2 writing and taking different approaches to different types of collocations.

Flipped learning has received growing attention as an important instructional approach leading to students' learning performance and higher order thinking abilities. This study applied flipped learning to a large university class to improve its major weakness, students' low engagement, and investigated the effects of self-regulation and transactional distance on learning engagement. The participants of this study were 390 undergraduate students who were enrolled in a general education course "Philosophy of Consideration" at a large university in South Korea. Analyses of an online survey completed in the Fall semester of 2018 indicate that self-regulation affected learning engagement and transactional interaction. Transactional interaction also affected learning engagement. In addition, transactional distance was found to mediate the relationship between self-regulation and learning engagement. That is, self-regulation affected learning engagement both directly and indirectly. However, students' past flipped learning experience did not moderate the relationships among self-regulation, transactional interaction, and learning engagement. The research findings of this study confirmed the importance of self-regulation and transactional distance for improving learning engagement in a large university class. Finally, this study directly addresses prevailing concerns about how to effectively teach a large university class.

Due to the increase of economic immigration over the last few decades, South Korea has rapidly become a multi-ethnic society. The number of students with a multicultural background (SMBs) has increased more than tenfold in the past ten years. Research has revealed that despite physical inclusion of SMBs in general classrooms, SMBs tend to struggle at school as a result of language difficulties, academic underachievement, and social isolation. Shedding light on the Salamanca thinking, this study aims to investigate how teachers' experiences of SMBs vary according to school cultures. Thirteen teachers from three schools (with different school cultures) were invited to participate in qualitative semi-structured interviews. It was revealed that the teachers, who worked in the different school cultures, expressed differently with regard to (1) teachers' reasoning about SMBs' struggles, (2) teachers' professional knowledge and strategic practices, (3) collaboration with a multicultural education supervising teacher (MEST), and (4) dependency upon external support. The school judged to be contributing to 'true' inclusion was characterised by ample support from a MEST and the creation of an inclusive learning environment for SMBs as a whole-school approach. What can further 'true' inclusion of SMBs in elementary schools and the implications thereof are discussed.

Tidal flats provide critical habitat for migratory waterbird species; however, populations of migratory waterbirds have significantly declined due to tidal flat loss and degradation caused by human activities, particularly in Asia. Gochang getbol is one of tidal flats located on the southwest coast of South Korea and a center of clam production. Using bird monitoring data collected at five zones (zone1 to zone5) established across Gochang getbol and near coastal area, we examined distribution patterns of migratory bird diversity and conservation-related species along the coast of Gochang getbol. The intensity of human activity ‒ mudflat culture (mostly bivalve) and aquaculture was relatively high at zone2 and zone3, occupying > 30% of 2km circular area surrounding most sample points of these zones. Zone1 and particularly zone4 contained more natural/semi-natural habitats (less disturbed mudflats and wetlands) and zone5 had smallest mudflat than others. Shannon diversity, species richness, and abundance of migratory birds differed between zones (Anova test, P ≤ 0.02) except Shannon diversity in winter. In fall, all values were higher at zone4 than zone3 and zone5. In winter, zone1 showed greatest species richness and higher abundance than zone2, zone3, and zone5. In spring, while most differences were found between zone4 and zone5, abundance at zone4 was somewhat higher than zone2. The results from the fourth corner analysis indicated that abundance of species foraging at mudflat level was positively associated with zone1 (winter) but negatively with zone3 (fall). Sandpipers were positively associated with zone4. Abundance distribution maps of conservation-related species, created by inverse distance-weighted interpolation modeling, also showed high abundance of most conservation-related species at zone4 and 1. The findings of our study suggest the importance of natural/semi-natural habitat, and the possible link between human activity and distribution patterns of migratory birds in Gochang getbol. While we need further investigation on direct response of migratory birds to human activity, areas with low human activity with more natural/semi-natural habitat, e.g., zone4 and zone1 may be crucial for the conservation of migratory birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longer sedentary time and insufficient sleep are common and potentially serious problems among adolescents and have substantially adverse effects on their physical and mental health. In this school-based study, we conducted an ecological momentary assessment using actigraphy to examine the within-subject association between sedentary time and sleep duration among 80 Korean adolescents aged 12-17. Objectively measured sedentary time and sleep duration were recorded over 5 days; participants also completed a self-reported questionnaire and sleep logs. Using a generalized estimating equation, analysis revealed that daily sedentary time was significantly and negatively associated with sleep duration ([beta] = -0.36, p = 0.028). Additionally, the interaction between age and sedentary time significantly affected sleep duration ([beta] = 0.03, p = 0.012). These findings suggest the need for school-based interventions that aim to reduce sedentary time and thereby improve sleep duration, helping adolescents, especially younger ones, to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Background: New intensive care unit (ICU) nurses often experience stress because of concerns about potentially harming their patients in a work environment that demands the rapid development of several skills in a limited training period. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the prioritisation of educational needs within adult ICUs, focusing on how new nurses evaluate their current knowledge and perceive the most critical competencies. Study Design: A cross‐sectional study was conducted among a convenience sample of 102 new ICU nurses in general and tertiary hospitals in South Korea. Educational needs were assessed using a structured questionnaire for new ICU nurses. This study investigated educational needs using paired t‐tests, Borich's assessment model and the Locus for Focus model. Results: Only 48% of participants were satisfied with their education. The highest‐rated educational content included preparing to use a defibrillator (95% CI = 2.44–3.28, p <.001), administering emergency drugs for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (95% CI = 2.09–2.91, p <.001), starting and maintaining continuous renal replacement therapy (95% CI = 1.50–2.42, p <.001), applying and maintaining a ventilator (95% CI = 1.42–2.08, p <.001), preparing for intubation (95% CI = 1.23–1.97, p <.001), reporting to the emergency team, preparing equipment for CPR (95% CI = 1.12–1.94, p <.001) and drug calculation (95% CI = 0.87–1.53, p <.001). Conclusions: These findings indicate that educational programmes for new ICU nurses should be developed considering the aforementioned priorities. Furthermore, nurse educators should adopt a practical and active instructional method to repeatedly clarify content, prioritising the improvement of knowledge and performance of new ICU nurses. Relevance to Clinical Practice: This study guides clinical educators and managers in focusing on areas where new ICU nurses need additional training. Effective nurse residency programmes tailored to the specific needs of new ICU nurses can enhance their confidence and ability to handle ICU nursing challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) prevalence is a rising public health concern. We assessed the long-term healthcare systems perspective of costs incurred by 147 NTM-PD patients at a tertiary hospital in South Korea. Median cumulative total medical cost in managing NTM-PD patients was US $5,044 (interquartile range US $3,586–$9,680) over 49.7 months (interquartile range 33.0–68.2 months) of follow-up. The major cost drivers were diagnostic testing and medication, accounting for 59.6% of total costs. Higher costs were associated with hospitalization for Mycobacterium abscessus infection and pulmonary comorbidities. Of the total medical care costs, 50.2% were patient co-payments resulting from limited national health insurance coverage. As South Korea faces significant problems of poverty during old age and increasing NTM-PD prevalence, the financial and socio-economic burden of NTM-PD may become a major public health concern that should be considered with regard to adequate strategies for NTM-PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient-centered care aims to prevent disease and promote well-being by actively involving patients in treatment and decision-making that is based on respecting the patients and their families. However, no scales have been developed to assess patient-centered care from the nurse's perspective. This study aimed to develop a scale to measure nurses' level of patient-centered communication and confirm its validity and reliability. Methods: A methodological cross-sectional study was adopted to develop and validate the Patient-Centered Communication Scale (PCCS). The items were developed through a literature review and online interviews with nurses. Content validity was assessed by experts and the content validity index was calculated. A pretest of the questionnaire was conducted with 10 clinical nurses. To evaluate the factor structure and internal consistency reliability, the PCCS was administered online to 325 nurses in South Korea. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, explanatory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: The final instrument consisted of 12 items and three factors: (1) information sharing, (2) patient-as-person, and (3) therapeutic alliance. EFA revealed a distinct three-factor structure, explaining 59.0% of the total variance. CFA confirmed the adequacy of the model fit and validated the inclusion of the final items. The Cronbach's alpha values ranged from 0.60 to 0.77, indicating acceptable internal consistency. Convergent validity was evidenced by the correlation between the PCCS and a measure of interpersonal communication competence. Conclusions: The 12-item PCCS showed good reliability, construct validity, and convergent validity. The scale has utility for measuring the level of patient-centered communication skills in nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North Korean refugees exposed to traumatic events often experience a high recurrence of post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms. However, a post‐traumatic growth programme has the potential to transform these traumatic events into increasing post‐traumatic growth, reduced emotional stress and enhanced well‐being. This study investigated the effects of a post‐traumatic growth promotion programme on post‐traumatic stress disorder recovery among North Korean refugees. Using a non‐equivalent control group non‐synchronised pretest–posttest design, 60 North Korean refugees who have been in South Korea for 6–8 or 12–13 years were assigned to the experimental (post‐traumatic growth promotion programme; n = 30) or control group (post‐traumatic growth promotion education brochure; n = 30). The programme comprised group sessions and discussions, each lasting 120 min/session, conducted twice a week for 5 weeks. Mindfulness, anxiety, depression, blood cortisol and post‐traumatic growth were assessed at baseline, immediately after intervention and 4 weeks after intervention. The findings showed the programme was effective in significantly increasing post‐traumatic growth and decreasing anxiety, depression and cortisol level. The two‐way analysis of variance showed a significant interaction between groups and time. Consequently, this post‐traumatic growth promotion programme can be utilised as a non‐invasive, cost‐effective and safe intervention for promoting post‐traumatic growth and well‐being among North Korean refugees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the international environment evolved and de-escalated in the 1970s, South Korea (the Republic of Korea, or ROK) adjusted its foreign policy to allow trade with communist governments. In 1974, South Korea attempted to import chilli peppers from the People's Republic of China, aiming to open a path to dialogue and improve relations. However, the first effort to initiate trade failed due to the Chinese government's indifferent attitude and trade demands from opponents on both sides. South Korea tried to import Chinese chilli peppers for a second time in 1978. This time, the transaction was successful via indirect trading, thanks to changes in China's foreign policy and its softening attitude towards South Korea. The success of the Chinese chilli pepper trade in 1978 established a more feasible trade paradigm for China and South Korea in advance of the diplomatic recognition between the two countries. This trade in chilli peppers was directly influenced by the China–South Korea relationship and reflects the complex and subtle changes between the two countries ahead of the establishment of diplomatic relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study investigated the adjunctive effect of polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) on bone formation in alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) sockets. Materials and Methods: Both mandibular second, third and fourth premolars of eight beagle dogs were randomly divided into ARP and ARP/PDRN groups. Following tooth extraction, ARP procedures were conducted using collagenized alloplastic graft material and bilayer collagen membrane soaked with normal saline (ARP group) or PDRN (ARP/PDRN group) for 10 min before application. Both groups were also randomly allocated to 2‐, 4‐ or 12‐week healing subgroups. The primary endpoint of this study was to compare histomorphometric differences between ARP and ARP/PDRN. The secondary endpoints of this study were to compare micro‐CT analysis and three‐dimensional volumetric measurement between the two groups. Results: In the histomorphometric analysis, the ARP/PDRN group exhibited greater new bone formation at coronal, middle and total position compared with the ARP group at 2‐week healing. The number of newly formed blood vessels was higher in the ARP/PDRN group than in the ARP group at 2‐ and 4‐week healing. In micro‐CT analysis, the mean new bone volume/total bone volume between ARP and ARP/PDRN was statistically significant at 2‐week healing. Ridge volume alterations were significantly decreased in the ARP/PDRN group during entire healing time compared with the ARP group, especially on the buccal side. Conclusions: The application of PDRN in ARP might provide additional benefits for early bone regeneration and maintenance of buccal ridge volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Tailored self-management support of hypertension, considering language and communication, is important for minorities, specifically in the deaf community. However, little is known about the experiences of hypertension self-management in deaf individuals who use sign language. This study aimed to explore the factors and processes of self-management in deaf sign language users with hypertension. Methods and results Ten men and women who used sign language participated in this study. Data were collected using in-depth personal interviews conducted in the presence of a sign language interpreter between November 2022 and February 2023. All interviews were recorded and transcribed for conventional content analysis. Qualitative analyses identified four categories related to the self-management of hypertension among participants: personal factors (chronic hand pain, unique language and communication, and efforts to turn crisis into opportunities), family and socioeconomic factors (family support and financial burden of living), challenges (limited health literacy and alienation from health education), and desire for health education considering the deaf community. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that family support, socioeconomic status, hand pain, and health literacy should be considered for the planning and development of health education on self-management of hypertension in deaf individuals. In addition, this health education requires cooperation with qualified sign language interpreters in healthcare settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Clinical implications of unilateral primary aldosteronism (PA) histopathology remain to be determined in various ethnic populations. Objective We examined the histopathology of unilateral PA using CYP11B2 immunostaining in relation to clinical phenotypes and postsurgical outcomes. Methods Patients consecutively operated for unilateral PA from 2010 to 2020 at 3 tertiary hospitals in South Korea were retrospectively enrolled. Adrenals with solitary aldosterone-producing adenomas and/or dominant aldosterone-producing nodules were classified as the classical and the others as the nonclassical groups. The classical group was subdivided into mixed or solitary group according to whether other aldosterone-producing lesions coexist or not. Results Of the 240 cases, 124 were solitary, 86 mixed, and 30 nonclassical. Baseline serum potassium concentration was lower in the solitary group than the mixed or nonclassical group. Plasma aldosterone concentration after saline loading was the highest in the solitary group (median 31.65 ng/dL), followed by the mixed group (median 25.40 ng/dL), and the lowest in the nonclassical group (median 14.20 ng/dL). Solitary and mixed groups showed higher lateralization indices and lower contralateral indices than the nonclassical group. The contralateral index was lower in the solitary group than the mixed group. At 6 to 12 months after adrenalectomy, fewer antihypertensive medications were required for the solitary and mixed groups than the nonclassical group. Conclusion The solitary group, followed by the mixed group, was associated with more severe hyperaldosteronism and more suppressed aldosterone production from the contralateral side than the nonclassical group. Histopathologic phenotypes were related to the clinical manifestations and may suggest postoperative prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) and radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (RP‐EBUS) are essential bronchoscopic procedures for diagnosing peripheral lung lesions. Despite their individual advantages, the optimal circumstances for their combination remain uncertain. Methods: This single‐center retrospective study enrolled 473 patients with 529 pulmonary nodules who underwent ENB and/or RP‐EBUS biopsies between December 2021 and December 2022. Diagnostic yield was calculated using strict, intermediate, and liberal definitions. In the strict definition, only malignant and specific benign lesions were deemed diagnostic at the time of the index procedure. The intermediate and liberal definitions included additional results from the follow‐up period. Results: The diagnostic yield of the strict definition was not statistically different among the three groups (ENB/Combination/RP‐EBUS 63.8%/64.2%/62.6%, p = 0.944). However, the diagnostic yield was superior in the ENB + RP‐EBUS group for nodules with a bronchus type II or III and a solid part <20 mm (odds ratio 1.96, 95% confidence interval 1.09–3.53, p = 0.02). In terms of complications, bleeding was significantly higher in the ENB + RP‐EBUS group (ENB/Combination/RP‐EBUS 3.7% /6.2/0.6%, p = 0.002), but no major adverse event was observed. Conclusion: The combination of ENB and RP‐EBUS enhanced the diagnostic yield for nodules with bronchus type II or III and solid part <20 mm, despite a slightly elevated risk of bleeding. Careful patient selection based on nodule characteristics is important to benefit from this combined approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Design Setting Population Methods Main Outcome Measures Results Conclusions To examine the prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) according to menopausal stages in middle‐aged women.Cross‐sectional study.Total Healthcare Center in South Korea.Middle‐aged Korean women (n=3469, mean age, 49.5 ± 2.9 years).Menopausal stages were defined according to the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop +10 criteria, and menopausal symptoms were assessed using the Korean version of Menopause‐Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL). Logistic regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals for OAB according to menopausal stage and to assess the associations with menopausal symptoms.OAB symptoms were evaluated using the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS).The prevalence of OAB increased with menopausal stage; however, the multivariable‐adjusted prevalence ratios for women in menopausal transition and postmenopausal stage were insignificant (ptrend = 0.160) compared to those for premenopausal women. Among individual OAB symptoms, the multivariable‐adjusted prevalence ratios for nocturia increased with menopausal stage in a dose–response manner (ptrend = 0.005 for 1 time/day; ptrend < 0.001 for ≥2 times/day). The association between menopausal stages and nocturia occurring ≥2 times/day was evident in women without OAB and with relatively high MENQOL scores, vasomotor symptoms and difficulty sleeping.The prevalence of OAB, particularly nocturia, increased with menopausal stage, and the association was obvious in women with other menopausal symptoms. This finding underscores the importance of addressing nocturia as a potential menopausal symptom in middle‐aged women. Further studies are required to understand the mechanisms linking OAB with menopausal symptoms in middle‐aged women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a lack of national-level research on alcohol consumption and the epidemiology of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in South Korea. This study aims to address the critical public health issue of ALD by focusing on its trends, incidence, and outcomes, using nationwide claims data. Methods: Utilizing National Health Insurance Service data from 2011 to 2017, we calculated the population's overall drinking amount and the incidence of ALD based on ICD-10 diagnosis codes. Results: From 2011 to 2017 in South Korea, social drinking increased from 15.7% to 16.5%, notably rising among women. High-risk drinking remained around 16.4%, decreasing in men aged 20–39 but not decreased in men aged 40–59 and steadily increased in women aged 20–59. The prevalence of ALD in high-risk drinkers (0.97%) was significantly higher than in social drinkers (0.16%). A 3-year follow-up revealed ALD incidence of 1.90% for high-risk drinkers and 0.31% for social drinkers. Women high-risk drinkers had a higher ALD risk ratio (6.08) than men (4.18). The economic burden of ALD was substantial, leading to higher healthcare costs and increased hospitalization. Progression rates to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in ALD patients were 23.3% and 2.8%, respectively, with no gender difference in cirrhosis progression. Conclusions: The study revealed a concerning rise in alcohol consumption among South Korean women and emphasizes the heightened health risks and economic burdens associated with high-risk drinking, especially concerning ALD and its complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cliffs contain one of the least known plant communities, which has been overlooked in biodiversity assessments due to the inherent inaccessibility. Our study adopted the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with the telephoto camera to remotely clarify floristic variability across unreachable cliffs. Studied cliffs comprised 17 coastal and 13 inland cliffs in Gageodo of South Korea, among which 9 and 5 cliffs were grazed by the introduced cliff-dwelling goats. The UAV telephotography showed 154 and 166 plant species from coastal and inland cliffs, respectively. Inland cliffs contained more vascular plant species (P < 0.001), increased proportions of fern and woody species (P < 0.05), and decreased proportion of herbaceous species (P < 0.001) than coastal cliffs. It was also found that coastal and inland cliffs differed in the species composition (P < 0.001) rather than taxonomic beta diversity (P = 0.29). Furthermore, grazed coastal cliffs featured the elevated proportions of alien and annual herb species than ungrazed coastal cliffs (P < 0.05). This suggests that coastal cliffs might not be totally immune to grazing if the introduced herbivores are able to access cliff microhabitats; therefore, such anthropogenic introduction of cliff-dwelling herbivores should be excluded to conserve the native cliff plant communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although endoscopy is commonly used for gastric cancer screening in South Korea, predictive models that integrate endoscopy results are scarce. We aimed to develop a 5-year gastric cancer risk prediction model using endoscopy results as a predictor. Methods: We developed a predictive model using the cohort data of the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study from 2011 to 2019. Among the 260,407 participants aged ≥20 years who did not have any previous history of cancer, 435 cases of gastric cancer were observed. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to evaluate the predictors and calculate the 5-year risk of gastric cancer. Harrell's C-statistics and Nam-D'Agostino χ2 test were used to measure the quality of discrimination and calibration ability, respectively. Results: We included age, sex, smoking status, alcohol consumption, family history of cancer, and previous results for endoscopy in the risk prediction model. This model showed sufficient discrimination ability [development cohort: C-Statistics: 0.800, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.770–0.829; validation cohort: C-Statistics: 0.799, 95% CI 0.743–0.856]. It also performed well with effective calibration (development cohort: χ2 = 13.65, P = 0.135; validation cohort: χ2 = 15.57, P = 0.056). Conclusion: Our prediction model, including young adults, showed good discrimination and calibration. Furthermore, this model considered a fixed time interval of 5 years to predict the risk of developing gastric cancer, considering endoscopic results. Thus, it could be clinically useful, especially for adults with endoscopic results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lazertinib is an oral, third‐generation EGFR‐TKI, which specifically targets the EGFR T790M mutation along with activating mutations Ex19del and L858R. More real‐world data are needed to evaluate its efficacy and safety in treating locally advanced and metastatic non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) following prior EGFR TKI treatment. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study was conducted at seven university hospitals affiliated to the Catholic Medical Center (CMC) in Korea. A clinical data warehouse (CDW) platform was used to access and extract information. Results: A total of 48 patients were assessed. The majority were female (75%) and diagnosed with adenocarcinoma (95.8%). All patients had the EGFR mutation at diagnosis, 27 (56.3%) had the exon 19 deletion, 20 (41.7%) had the L858R mutation, and one (2.0%) had the exon 18 mutation. The median progression‐free survival (PFS) was 15.4 months. At 6, 12, and 18 months, PFS rates were 79.1%, 53.6%, and 27.3%, respectively. When PFS was analyzed by prior TKI duration (<18 months vs. >18 months), significant differences were noted at the 6 and 9‐month mark (p = 0.013 and p = 0.010, respectively). In multivariate analysis for PFS, only prior TKI duration and ECOG score showed statistical significance (p = 0.026 and p = 0.049, respectively). In the multivariate analysis for OS, ECOG score showed statistical significance (p = 0.006). Among 48 patients, 34 (70.8%) experienced adverse events (AEs) related to lazertinib. The most frequent AEs were skin reaction (29.8%), diarrhea (21.3%), and peripheral neuropathy (20.8%). Conclusions: The results suggest that lazertinib is effective in second or more line settings, with tolerable safety profile. More patient data are necessary to find possible prognostic markers associated with patient outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characteristics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with superoptimal peak inspiratory flow rates (PIFR) has not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to compare the characteristics between COPD patients with superoptimal PIFR and those with optimal and sub-optimal PIFR. PIFR was measured using In-Check DIAL G16 and categorized into sub-optimal (PIFR lower than that required by the patient's device), optimal, and superoptimal (peak PIFR ≥ 90 L/min). Considering COPD patients with sub-optimal PIFR as the reference group, analyses were performed to identify PIFR-related factors. Subgroup analysis was performed according to the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) % of the predicted value (%pred). Among 444 post-bronchodilator-confirmed COPD patients from seven tertiary hospitals in South Korea, 98, 223, and 123 were classified into the sub-optimal, optimal, and superoptimal PIFR groups, respectively. The superoptimal PIFR group were younger, had an increased proportion of males, a higher body mass index, lowest number of comorbidities and less frequent exacerbation in the previous year, as well as the highest forced vital capacity %pred. The adjusted odds ratio for frequent exacerbation in the previous year was lower in the superoptimal PIFR group than in the sub-optimal PIFR group and was more pronounced in patients with an FEV1%pred of < 70%. COPD patients with superoptimal PIFR have clinical characteristics different from those patients with the sub-optimal and optimal PIFR. Having a high inspiratory flow may be a favorable trait in COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure that requires significant experiences and skills and has various procedure-related complications, some of which can be severe and even result in the death of patients. Expanding ERCP availability has the advantage of increasing accessibility for patients. However, ERCP poses a substantial risk if performed without proper quality management. ERCP quality management is essential for both ensuring safe and successful procedures and meeting the social demands for enhanced healthcare competitiveness and quality assurance. To address these concerns, the Korean Pancreatobiliary Association established a task force to develop ERCP quality indicators (QIs) tailored to the Korean medical environment. Key questions for five pre-procedure, three intra-procedure, and four post-procedure measures were formulated based on a literature search related to ERCP QIs and a comprehensive clinical review conducted by experts. The statements and recommendations regarding each QI item were selected through peer review. The developed ERCP QIs were reviewed by external experts based on the latest available evidence at the time of development. These domestically tailored ERCP QIs are expected to contribute considerably to improving ERCP quality in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Angiotensin receptor blockers are widely used antihypertensive drugs in South Korea. In 2021, the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety acknowledged the need for national compensation for a drug-induced liver injury (DILI) after azilsartan use. However, little is known regarding the association between angiotensin receptor blockers and DILI. Objective: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in incident users of angiotensin receptor blockers from a common data model database (1 January, 2017–31 December, 2021) to compare the risk of DILI among specific angiotensin receptor blockers against valsartan. Methods: Patients were assigned to treatment groups at cohort entry based on prescribed angiotensin receptor blockers. Drug-induced liver injury was operationally defined using the International DILI Expert Working Group criteria. Cox regression analyses were conducted to derive hazard ratios and the inverse probability of treatment weighting method was applied. All analyses were performed using R. Results: In total, 229,881 angiotensin receptor blocker users from 20 university hospitals were included. Crude DILI incidence ranged from 15.6 to 82.8 per 1000 person-years in treatment groups, most were cholestatic and of mild severity. Overall, the risk of DILI was significantly lower in olmesartan users than in valsartan users (hazard ratio: 0.73 [95% confidence interval 0.55–0.96]). In monotherapy patients, the risk was significantly higher in azilsartan users than in valsartan users (hazard ratio: 6.55 [95% confidence interval 5.28–8.12]). Conclusions: We found a significantly higher risk of suspected DILI in patients receiving azilsartan monotherapy compared with valsartan monotherapy. Our findings emphasize the utility of real-world evidence in advancing our understanding of adverse drug reactions in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Quality of Life Assessment in Spina bifida for Teenagers (QUALAS-T) is a tool used to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adolescents with spina bifida (SB). The purpose of this study was to translate the QUALAS-T into Korean and validate its Korean version (QUALAS-T-K). Translation and validation processes were carried out in accordance with a specified protocol, including forward and back translation, a content validity study, and a main study. The tool's reliability was evaluated based on its internal consistency and stability. Factor analysis was conducted, and convergent validity was confirmed using the KIDSCREEN-27. Of the 59 participants, 35 had lipomyelomeningoceles. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that QUALAS-T-K had the same structure as QUALAS-T. The QUALAS-T-K showed excellent internal consistency (α: 0.872–0.893, ω: 0.875–0.885), test–retest reliability (ICC:0.84–0.92), and weak to strong correlations with the KIDSCREEN-27. The QUALAS-T-K, developed by reflecting on the characteristics of SB and considering the applicability of Korean cultural characteristics and clinical practice, is a convenient and reliable tool with excellent internal consistency and stability. This could be a useful tool in clinical and research settings for HRQOL evaluation of adolescents with SB. Optimizing health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is one of the goals of individuals with spina bifida (SB), and HRQOL measures that reflect the condition specificity of SB should be performed. The QUAlity of Life Assessment in Spina bifida for Teenagers (QUALAS-T), developed in the USA, is a self-reported HRQOL questionnaire used in research and clinical practice for adolescents with SB. This study revealed that the QUALAS-T, translated into Korean, is a valid, convenient, and reliable tool. The Korean version of the QUALAS-T is a useful tool that can be used in clinical and research settings to optimize HRQOL in adolescents with SB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated associations among perfectionism (i.e., perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns), achievement goals, and academic burnout among college students in South Korea, focusing on the mediating role of achievement goals. A total of 281 students enrolled in a non-major psychology course voluntarily completed an online questionnaire. Analyses were performed using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that achievement goals significantly mediated the relation between perfectionism and academic burnout. Perfectionistic strivings had a negative effect on academic burnout, through mastery goals (i.e., mastery-approach and mastery-avoidance goals). Specifically, high levels of perfectionistic strivings were linked to high levels of mastery-approach and low levels of mastery-avoidance goals, which were sequentially linked to a low level of academic burnout. Contrastingly, perfectionistic concerns had a positive effect on academic burnout, through mastery-avoidance goals. That is, higher perfectionistic concerns were associated with higher mastery-avoidance goals, which in turn were linked to higher academic burnout. Implications and limitations are discussed.

This study aims to analyze South Korea's experience during the COVID-19 outbreak through a gendered lens. We briefly introduce the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea, scrutinize gendered vulnerability in contracting the virus, and then analyze the gendered aspects of the pandemic response in two phases: quarantine policy and mitigation policy. The authors elicit four lessons from the analysis. First, gender needs to be mainstreamed at all stages of a public health emergency response. Second, in addition to medical care, all formal and informal care work should be considered as an essential component of health care systems. Third, a people-centered approach in health governance should be prioritized to make women's voices heard at every level. Fourth, medical technology and resources to cope with pandemic should be produced and distributed in an equitable manner, acknowledging differential vulnerability and susceptibility.

Higher Education institutions in Korea are undergoing restructuring in response to the government reform policy. As one aspect of the restructuring, many colleges are reducing or abolishing the athletic programmes. This study investigated the value of athletic programmes for college students by using the contingent valuation method. The results of a multivariate survival analysis with a convenience sample of 372 undergraduate students indicate that the monetary value of the willingness of a student to pay for athletic programmes was about KRW 116,000 per semester. Students' level of involvement with and knowledge about intercollegiate athletics, as well as monthly allowance and year in college have positive effects on willingness to pay for athletic programmes.

We present a critical discussion of how chemistry textbooks treat the electrolysis of water and aqueous salt solutions, based on a survey of general chemistry textbooks in English and Korean at secondary and tertiary levels, also informed by the historical background of 19th-century debates. English-language textbooks present various and contradictory accounts of the electrolysis of water; a key point of disagreement is whether hydrogen and oxygen gases originate from pre-existing H[superscript +] and OH[superscript -] ions, or from the direct reduction and oxidation of H[subscript 2]O molecules. School textbooks in South Korea all present the same account, with no indication of alternative views. A vast majority of all texts ignore the possibility that H[subscript 2] and O[subscript 2] may result from secondary reactions, which was a standard view in the late 19th century following the works of Daniell and Miller. Concerning the electrolysis of aqueous salt solutions, all texts give oversimplified views of competing reactions based on standard reduction/oxidation potentials. It is understandable that textbooks try to present sufficiently simple pictures that students at each level can handle; however, this should not be done in a way that shuts down questions. We recommend that students should be made aware that textbook accounts are only models, and encouraged to extend their learning beyond the models. The plausibility of our recommendations is shown in a pilot study we conducted with secondary school students in South Korea.

Parents' recognition of adolescents' emotional distress is a significant determinant of early detection and treatment of mental disorders. However, there is dearth of research exploring parent-adolescent agreement regarding adolescents' emotional distress. This cross-sectional, school-based study compared parents' proxy reports and self-reports of adolescent's emotional distress among 289 parent-adolescent dyads in Korea. Findings revealed low agreement between adolescents' and parents' reports of depression, anxiety, and anger, with an average polychoric r of 0.25 to 0.27. The agreement was particularly low for high school students, boys, and father-adolescent dyads. Additionally, parents tended to underestimate adolescents' emotional distress symptoms; a significant percentage of adolescents experiencing symptoms were rated in the normal range by parents, particularly high school students experiencing anger. Interventions are needed to help adolescents learn to manage and express their negative emotions. Moreover, parent education programs that improve parents' recognition of emotional distress and appropriate help-seeking behaviors are needed.

Visual communication, especially films, can be an effective way to teach complex topics. The use of films in business schools, however, has been limited even though demand for such content is increasing. This article takes a focused look at how educators can take advantage of films to teach diversity in business. Despite the importance of diversity in business and marketing education, there is not enough written materials such as case studies to teach it. Even when they do exist, written content may not be adequate in communicating the issues involved in diversity because of difficulties related to representing a given diversity group only using text. This article discusses how films can help overcome the limitations of text-only representation of a specific diversity group--intellectually disabled workers. The empirical study shows that film can be more effective than text in eliciting consumer responses such as emotions and a positive attitude to an identified disabled personality as well as to the employer brand. This article also provides practical steps that educators can take in gradually integrating visual materials such as film to their traditional method and contents of instruction when teaching diversity in business.

This study examines the relationship between the psychological states of Korean mothers and early childhood development. In the study, 480 mothers were classified into three groups: cluster A mothers were happy and competent, cluster C were depressed and stressed, and cluster B were neither depressed nor happy. The tendency of infant developmental outcomes among the three clusters showed unexpected results. Infants in cluster C exhibited midlevel outcomes, whereas infants in cluster B showed the lowest development in all domains. These results showed that a mother's confusing and unclear feelings apparently have a negative effect on their infant's development. The findings of this study recommend that all new mothers, especially during the first year after birth, are to be supported with psychological education and counseling through screening, active monitoring, and initial treatment by health professionals.

This study aims to review the development of NWCCDL Project during the last 10 years from (2005 to 2014) and evaluate the effects of NWCCDL Project on the students' satisfaction of the project and their affective domain. The research data was analyzed from the results of the questionnaires which were conducted at the end of every semester. This research paper consists of three parts. The first is to review the development of NWCCDL Project from fall semester 2005 to fall Semester 2014. The second part is to prove that the participants are satisfied with this project. The students' satisfaction was analyzed on the results of the questionnaires focusing on several items. The third part is to prove that this project is very effective in cultivating the motivation and interest of EFL learners in the Korean university-level education context. This study can give much significant implication in the ELT area. First, this research is very important in the globalized educational context because NWCCDL Project is the international distance learning project designed to improve English proficiency through the interaction between Japan and Korea university students. Second, this research shows that the participants are satisfied with this project, which implies that using ICT in ELT area can be very effective in a foreign teaching and learning context. Third, this research can show that the interaction of non-native speakers of English through distance learning is effective in cultivating the motivation and interest of EFL learners in Asian countries. So the analytic results from the students' responses through the questionnaire provide significant implications for the effectiveness of NWCCDL Project in cultivating the motivation and interest of EFL learners in the Korean university, and also for the effectiveness of non-native speakers' interaction in learning English as a foreign language in Asian countries.

Kori Unit 1 was permanently shut down on June 18, 2017. Since then, Korea is actively preparing for the decommissioning of the nuclear power plant. Because decommissioning work is performed in a radioactive environment, worker radiation exposure is a significant consideration. In this study, worker radiation exposure is evaluated during the steam generator, one of the heavy components of nuclear power plant, dismantling process. A radiation evaluation for the dismantling process is performed using the code RESRAD-BUILD. A steam generator dismantling scenario and optimal cutting method are designed to evaluate worker radiation exposure, considering pipe dimensions, cutting tool speed, and experience in steam generator replacement. The evaluation results are derived for each work type and year. As a result of the evaluation, worker radiation exposure is 7.5 man-mSv at the year of planned decommissioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Few studies have investigated the impact of biologics on the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) among Korean patients with psoriatic diseases. We compared the risk of MACEs and all-cause mortality among patients with psoriatic disease treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-12/23 inhibitors in Korea. Methods: Patients with psoriatic disease prescribed with TNF-α and IL-12/23 inhibitors since 2016 were selected from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) Database. Follow-up data for MACEs and all-cause mortality between 2016 and 2020 were collected. A total of 2886 individuals were included, including 1987 IL-12/23 inhibitor users and 899 TNF-α inhibitor users. Results: Compared with IL-12/23 inhibitor users, TNF-α inhibitor users had a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia and a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality but not MACE. After controlling for age, female TNF-α inhibitor users had a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality. Meanwhile, after controlling for sex, TNF-α inhibitor users aged 60years or older demonstrated a significantly elevated risk of all-cause mortality. In conclusion, No statistically significant difference in MACE risk was observed between patients who used TNF-α and IL-12/23 inhibitors. Nevertheless, the use of IL-12/23 inhibitors, especially among older and female patients, resulted in a lower overall mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]