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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic continues to have a substantial impact on the economies and livelihoods of all countries. Central and local government administrators are facing a critical issue of resource utilization efficiency due to their limited resources. This paper employs data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the concept of an assurance region (AR) to assess the relative efficiency of administrative divisions in Taiwan, whose effectiveness has been praised by other countries' administrators and citizens, regarding COVID‐19 pandemic prevention and control. The input factors used were the cumulative number of deaths (an undesirable factor) and expenditures, and the output factors were the average number of unconfirmed citizens aged 65 and older, the average number of unconfirmed citizens aged 0–64, and the cumulative number of vaccinations. Notably, because there are many COVID‐19 variants with different characteristics, reaching a consensus AR among experts is difficult. Thus, different ARs were compared, and the most representative AR was identified for subsequent analysis. The main findings show that only Kaohsiung City was efficient, and Taipei City was the third worst due to inefficient operations. In addition, the administrative divisions were classified into four groups using cluster analysis based on the decomposition of aggregate efficiency to the contributions of the three outputs. The findings presented in this paper serve as a reference for both local government administrators and citizens, offering insights into relative efficiency and improvement directions. Moreover, they also provide guidance for resource allocation, future strategy adjustment, and development for central government administrators and citizens worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many patients with dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) seek traditional medicine consultations. This study intended to investigate the association of complementary Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) with the surgery rate in patients with DUB in Taiwan. Methods: We enrolled 43,027 patients with newly diagnosed DUB (ICD-9-CM codes 626.8) from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan during the period of 1997 to 2010. Among them, 38,324 were CHM users, and 4703 did not receive CHM treatment. After performing a 1:1 propensity-score match based on patients' age (per 5 years), comorbidities, conventional drugs, childbirth status, duration from the diagnosis year of DUB and index year, there were an equal number (n=4642) of patients in the CHM cohort and non-CHM cohort. The outcome measurement was the comparison of incidences of surgical events, including hysterectomy and endometrial ablation, in the two cohorts before the end of 2013. Results: CHM users had a lower incidence of surgery than non-CHM users (adjusted HR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.22– 0.33). The cumulative incidence of surgery was significantly lower in the CHM cohort during the follow-up period (Log rank test, p < 0.001). A total of 146 patients in the CHM cohort (4.99 per 1000 person-years) and 485 patients in the non-CHM cohort (20.19 per 1000 person-years) received surgery (adjusted HR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.22– 0.33). CHM also reduced the risk of surgery in DUB patients with or without comorbidities. Regardless of childbirth status or whether patients took NSAIDs, tranexamic acid or progesterone, fewer patients in the CHM cohort underwent surgery than in the non-CHM cohort. The most commonly prescribed single herb and formula were Yi-Mu-Cao (Herba Leonuri) and Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San, respectively. Conclusion: The real-world data revealed that CHM is associated with a reduced surgery rate in DUB patients. This information may be provided for further clinical investigations and policy-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of grade III, IV supination-eversion fractures-dislocations of ankle joint between manipulative treatment and operative treatment., Methods: From September 2007 to December 2008, the clinical data of 60 patients with grade III, IV supination-eversion fractures-dislocations of ankle joint were retrospectively analyzed. There were 32 males and 28 females, ranging in age from 18 to 70 years with an average age of 38.17 years. All patients were respectively treated with manipulative treatment (conservative group, 30 cases) and operative treatment (operative group, 30 cases). The joint function was compared with Mazur standard; the reduction and shifting of fractures were observed with X-ray; the hospitalization day and the therapeutic cost were compared between two groups., Results: All patients were followed up with an average of 15.27 months (ranged, 6 to 25 months). In conservative group, 16 cases got excellent result in joint function, 10 good, 3 fair, 1 poor; in operative group, 20 cases got excellent result, 8 good, 2 fair, 0 poor. In conservative group in the X-ray showed 25 cases obtained excellent and good reduction, 4 fair, 1 poor; and in operative group in the X-ray showed 28 cases obtained excellent and good reduction, 2 fair, 0 poor. There was no significant difference at the joint function and X-ray film after treatment between two groups (P > 0.05). The hospital day was respectively (7.87 +/- 3.34), (17.37 +/- 4.64) d in conservative group and operative group; and the therapeutic cost was respectively (2 506.67 +/- 649.10), (11 473.33 +/- 1 564.90) yuan. There was significant difference at hospital day and therapeutic cost between two groups (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Conservative treatment and operative treatment can both reach a very good result in treating grade III, IV supination-eversion fractures and dislocations of ankle joint. However, conservative treatment has advantage of high safety factor, low therapeutic cost, can reduce medical costs for patients.