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The legal regulations and cultural environment for smoking bans in hotels and motels in South Korea differ depending on the type of accommodation. The aim of this study was to assess the thirdhand smoke exposure for hotel and motel guests staying at accommodations who are expected to be relatively vulnerable to thirdhand smoke. Biomarkers for 28 participants were assessed before and after lodging at a hotel or motel for approximately 14 h. Hotel participants had statistically decreased urinary cotinine concentrations after their stay, whereas motel participants experienced increased concentrations. The concentration of nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone in dust in hotels was lower than that in motels, and the higher dust nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone concentration in motels had more effect on an increase in urinary cotinine concentration. Both hotels and motels legally allowed smoking in guest rooms. However, the study participants in hotels were less exposed to thirdhand smoke than those in motels.

The aim of this study is to provide a more accurate representation of COVID-19's case fatality rate (CFR) by performing meta-analyses by continents and income, and by comparing the result with pooled estimates. We used multiple worldwide data sources on COVID-19 for every country reporting COVID-19 cases. On the basis of data, we performed random and fixed meta-analyses for CFR of COVID-19 by continents and income according to each individual calendar date. CFR was estimated based on the different geographical regions and levels of income using three models: pooled estimates, fixed- and random-model. In Asia, all three types of CFR initially remained approximately between 2.0% and 3.0%. In the case of pooled estimates and the fixed model results, CFR increased to 4.0%, by then gradually decreasing, while in the case of random-model, CFR remained under 2.0%. Similarly, in Europe, initially, the two types of CFR peaked at 9.0% and 10.0%, respectively. The random-model results showed an increase near 5.0%. In high-income countries, pooled estimates and fixed-model showed gradually increasing trends with a final pooled estimates and random-model reached about 8.0% and 4.0%, respectively. In middle-income, the pooled estimates and fixed-model have gradually increased reaching up to 4.5%. in low-income countries, CFRs remained similar between 1.5% and 3.0%. Our study emphasizes that COVID-19 CFR is not a fixed or static value. Rather, it is a dynamic estimate that changes with time, population, socioeconomic factors, and the mitigatory efforts of individual countries.

Objectives It is especially difficult for hospitality workers to avoid secondhand smoke (SHS), meaning that they are likely particularly vulnerable to the effects of SHS. The authors aimed to determine the degree to which smoke-free laws protect hospitality workers from SHS exposure, by examining biochemical markers of such exposure. Material and Methods This was a cross-sectional study examining SHS exposure in non-smoking employees working in hospitality settings where smoking is prohibited or permitted. The following biomarkers were selected: cotinine and tobaccospecific nitrosamines, which are known to measure SHS exposure, and 2 representative carcinogens: 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). The authors compared these biomarkers between 3 hospitality settings. A descriptive analysis was performed. In addition, they conducted 1-way and 2-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to compare the biochemical markers. Results Smoking substances were identified by smoking ban levels. In the case of hair nicotine and urine cotinine, their concentrations were lower in areas with a complete smoking ban than in both areas with a separate smoking room and no smoking ban; however, there was no statistically significant difference between these. In the case of dust NNK, its level was the lowest in areas with a complete smoking ban. To confirm the smoking ban effect by hospitality settings, the authors checked the results of the 2-way ANCOVA. In karaoke and billiard halls, the dust NNK concentrations were significantly higher in areas with no smoking ban than in areas with a separate smoking room. Conclusions Exposure to SHS is more prevalent in places that are more lenient when it comes to smoking (e.g., Internet cafés) than in places that are not (e.g., restaurants and cafés), even when smoking is similarly prohibited in both types of places. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(1):53–67

Tobacco causes premature death through cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory disease [...]

This study aimed to estimate the secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure using urinary cotinine (UCo) to prove that the SHS exposure could not be properly assessed by self-reporting (SR). In total, 28,574 nonsmokers aged &gt, 19 years were selected from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (2009–2018). First, changes in the annual concentration of UCo were analyzed, and the annual SHS exposure rates were measured based on SR and UCo from 2009 to 2018. Then, the average UCo concentration and UCo-measured SHS exposure rate were confirmed according to the subjects’ characteristics. Finally, factors associated with the UCo-measured SHS exposure rate were identified based on multiple regression analysis. The findings showed that the annual UCo concentrations and self-reported SHS exposure rates dropped significantly over the past decade. In contrast, the UCo-measured SHS exposure rate indicated that &gt, 80% of nonsmokers are still exposed to SHS. Moreover, we found vulnerable groups using UCo-measured SHS exposure rate. In particular, the self-reported SHS exposure at home and in workplaces and house type was highly associated with SHS exposure. Thus, these findings indicate that the actual SHS exposure could not be properly assessed by SR and should be verified using a biomarker, such as UCo. Considering that even a short-term exposure can be harmful to health, the goal of the policy should be to keep cotinine concentration as low as possible.

Introduction The development of public transportation in a community might facilitate the utilization of health-care services in the region. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of high-speed rail service on the utilization of health-care services among the patients diagnosed with cancer. Methods The study population comprised patients living in rural regions and who were diagnosed as having cancer during a five year period (2002–2006). The final sample included 3449 (49% men, 51% women). Of those, 918 participants used health-care services in Seoul. The pattern of outpatient and inpatient visits was estimated using interrupted time series analysis. Results There were significant differences in healthcare utilization by gender, age, region, and income levels. In the patient population studied, prior to the introduction of the Korean Train Express, the utilization of outpatient services had been increasing. Beginning with the introduction of the Korean Train Express, the number of patients utilizing outpatient services significantly increased across time. The introduction of the Korean Train Express did not influence the utilization of inpatient health-care services among those in the population studied. Conclusions The development of public transportation appeared to help facilitate the utilization of outpatient services for higher income patients diagnosed with cancer in Korea. This research can inform both transportation and Healthcare service planning for rural communities. Additional efforts need to be considered for low income populations.

BACKGROUND In general, early intervention in disease based on early diagnosis is considered to be very important for improving health outcomes. However, there is still insufficient evidence regarding how medical care that is based on the early diagnosis of confirmed cases can affect the outcome of COVID-19 treatment. OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate the effect of the duration from the onset of clinical symptoms to confirmation of COVID-19 on the duration from the onset of symptoms to the resolution of COVID-19 (release from quarantine). METHODS For preliminary data collection, we performed data crawling to extract data from social networks, blogs, and official websites operated by local governments. We collected data from the 4002 confirmed cases in 33 cities reported up to May 31, 2020, for whom sex and age information could be verified. Subsequently, 2494 patients with unclear symptom onset dates and 1349 patients who had not been released or had no data about their release dates were excluded. Thus, 159 patients were finally included in this study. To investigate whether rapid confirmation reduces the prevalence period, we divided the duration from symptom onset to confirmation into quartiles of ≤1, ≤3, ≤6, and ≥7 days, respectively. We investigated the duration from symptom onset to release and that from confirmation to release according to these quartiles. Furthermore, we performed multiple regression analysis to investigate the effects of rapid confirmation after symptom onset on the treatment period, duration of prevalence, and duration until release from isolation. RESULTS We performed multiple regression analysis to investigate the association between rapid confirmation after symptom onset and the total prevalence period (faster release from isolation). The time from symptom onset to confirmation showed a negative association with the time from confirmation to release (t1=−3.58; Pt1=5.86; P CONCLUSIONS The duration from COVID-19 symptom onset to confirmation date is an important variable for predicting disease prevalence, and these results support the hypothesis that a short duration of symptom onset to confirmation can reduce the time from symptom onset to release.

This study aimed to identify the association between moving to a high-volume hospital and the mortality of patients with cancer living in the district. The study population comprised participants diagnosed with cancer within the past nine years (2004–2012). The final sample included 8197 patients with cancer, 3939 were males (48.1%), and 4258 were females (51.9%). A Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) for death. Confounding variables including sex, age, type of social security, income level, disability, and utilization volume were incorporated into the model. Among patients with cancer living in the district, 2874 (35.1%) used healthcare services in Seoul. About 10% (n = 834) of patients died during the follow-up period. The HR for death in females (HR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.58–0.81) was lower than that in males. Additionally, the HR for the death of patients using healthcare services in Seoul (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.11–1.53) was higher than those patients who did not use healthcare services in Seoul. Among patients utilizing services in the province, wealthier patients’ survival probability was significantly higher than that of others. The cause of income differences should be identified, and accessibility to medical use of low-income families should be enhanced to prevent mortality of patients from cancer disparities.

Background Children may be exposed to tobacco products in multiple ways if their parents smoke. The risks of exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) are well known. This study aimed to investigate the association between parental smoking and the children’s cotinine level in relation to restricting home smoking, in Korea. Methods Using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Health Examination Survey data from 2014 to 2017, we analyzed urine cotinine data of parents and their non-smoking children (n = 1,403), in whose homes parents prohibited smoking. We performed linear regression analysis by adjusting age, sex, house type, and household income to determine if parent smoking was related to the urine cotinine concentration of their children. In addition, analysis of covariance and Tukey’s post-hoc tests were performed according to parent smoking pattern. Finding Children’s urine cotinine concentrations were positively associated with those of their parents. Children of smoking parents had a significantly higher urine cotinine concentration than that in the group where both parents are non-smokers (diff = 0.933, P < .0001); mothers-only smoker group (diff = 0.511, P = 0.042); and fathers-only smoker group (diff = 0.712, P < .0001). In the fathers-only smoker group, the urine cotinine concentration was significantly higher than that in the group where both parents were non-smoker (diff = 0.221, P < .0001), but not significantly different compared to the mothers-only smoker group (diff = - -0.201, P = 0.388). Children living in apartments were more likely to be exposed to smoking substances. Conclusion This study showed a correlation between parents’ and children’s urine cotinine concentrations, supporting the occurrence of home smoking exposure due to the parents’ smoking habit in Korea. Although avoiding indoor home smoking can decrease the children’s exposure to tobacco, there is a need to identify other ways of smoking exposure and ensure appropriate monitoring and enforcement of banning smoking in the home.

Background Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is known to have negative effects on mental as well as physical health. However, the association between SHS and mental health problems has not been assessed in non-smokers. To evaluate the association of exposure to tobacco smoke and depressive symptoms, and that of the prevalence of having depressive symptoms and urinary cotinine (UCo) concentrations in non-exposed subjects. Methods Data was extracted from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Depressive symptoms were determined based on a patient's overall score on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9, and SHS exposure was evaluated using self-reported data and UCo concentration. Overall, 13,219 non-smokers, ≥ 19 years were included in the study. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors related to depressive symptoms; independent t-test was conducted to confirm the differences in UCo concentration according to the prevalence of depression. Results Among the non-exposure groups, 2.0% of the males and 5.6% of the females showed depressive symptoms. Lower social-economic status, higher UCo concentration, and SHS exposure increased the prevalence of depressive symptoms. The UCo concentration of females with depressive symptoms was significantly higher than those of females without depressive symptoms. Limitations This study only demonstrated an association between SHS exposure and depression, not the causal effects, because of the cross-sectional study design. Conclusion SHS exposure and depressive symptoms are correlated. The association was also confirmed by evaluating the UCo concentration of those who were not exposed to SHS based on self-reported data.

The purpose of this study was to apply multicriteria decision making and an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model for assessing sustainable management of hypertension and diabetes. Perception of two alternative health care priorities was also investigated. One priority was improving treatment compliance of patients with hypertension and diabetes. The other priority was strengthening the healthcare system for continuous care. Our study design to evaluate community-based intervention programs for hypertension and diabetes was developed using brainstorming, Delphi techniques, and content analysis along with literature review. We finally proposed a hierarchical structure of the AHP model with 50 third sub-criteria in six levels. By surveying this AHP questionnaire to a total of 185 community health practitioners in Korea, we found that improving treatment compliance of patients with chronic diseases should be relatively more important than strengthening the healthcare system. Further research is needed to expand survey subjects to primary care physicians and even policymakers of central government for the appropriate application of this AHP model.

BACKGROUND The use of social big data is an important emerging concern in public health. Internet search volumes are useful data that can sensitively detect trends of the public's attention during a pandemic outbreak situation. OBJECTIVE Our study aimed to analyze the public’s interest in COVID-19 proliferation, identify the correlation between the proliferation of COVID-19 and interest in immunity and products that have been reported to confer an enhancement of immunity, and suggest measures for interventions that should be implemented from a health and medical point of view. METHODS To assess the level of public interest in infectious diseases during the initial days of the COVID-19 outbreak, we extracted Google search data from January 20, 2020, onward and compared them to data from March 15, 2020, which was approximately 2 months after the COVID-19 outbreak began. In order to determine whether the public became interested in the immune system, we selected coronavirus, immune, and vitamin as our final search terms. RESULTS The increase in the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases that occurred after January 20, 2020, had a strong positive correlation with the search volumes for the terms coronavirus (R=0.786; Pimmune (R=0.745; Pvitamin (R=0.778; Pcoronavirus and immune preceded the actual occurrences of confirmed cases. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that during the initial phase of the COVID-19 crisis, the public’s desire and actions of strengthening their own immune systems were enhanced. Further, in the early stage of a pandemic, social media platforms have a high potential for informing the public about potentially helpful measures to prevent the spread of an infectious disease and provide relevant information about immunity, thereby increasing the public’s knowledge.

Background: There is public health risk due to COPD underdiagnosis. To decrease the rate of underdiagnosed COPD and to plan strategies for efficient screening for disease management, we investigated the national-level prevalence of COPD by airflow obstruction.Methods: We performed pulmonary function test (PFT) in 24,454 adults aged >40 years, based on 8 years (2010-2017) of data. FEV1/FVC ratio of Results: The annual COPD prevalence increased from 13.1% in 2010 to 14.6% in 2012 followed by 13.3% in 2017. The proportion of potential high-risk group that was not diagnosed with COPD and other respiratory diseases was 80.8% in 2010 and 78.1% in 2017 ranging between 73.0% and 86.2%. Multivariate logistic regression showed that ever smokers in the COPD diagnosed patient group had a 2.38 times higher rate of diagnosis than never smokers. Furthermore, the group with PY of 4Q had a 2.81 times higher diagnosis rate than that of 1Q. Regarding the potential high-risk group, the ever smokers, current smokers, and heavy smokers had a higher prevalence than never smokers.Conclusion: Although COPD prevalence was high in the ever, current, and heavy smokers, only the diagnosis rate of COPD in ever smokers was 2.38 times higher than never smokers, indicating that smoking is the most important cause of COPD.

BACKGROUND South Korea is one of the few countries that has succeeded in flattening the curve of new COVID-19 cases and avoiding a second outbreak by implementing multiple strategies, ranging from an individual level to the population level. OBJECTIVE We aim to discuss the unique strategies and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in South Korea and present a summary of policies implemented by the Korean government during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We designed a cross-sectional study of epidemiological data published by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on October 1, 2020. We analyzed detailed epidemiological information of COVID-19 cases, including the number of confirmed cases and resulting deaths. RESULTS As of October 1, 2020, a total of 23,889 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 415 deaths were reported in South Korea. In this paper, we present data on the epidemiological characteristics and transmission of the disease and discuss how the South Korean government, health care providers, and society responded to the COVID-19 outbreak. CONCLUSIONS Understanding the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in South Korea and the government’s successful efforts in managing the spread of the disease can provide important insights to other countries dealing with the ongoing pandemic.

Introduction Relatively few, mainly cross-sectional, studies have examined the relationship between smoking cessation and metabolic syndrome (MetS). In particular, information on smoking cessation after MetS is limited. This study aimed to investigate the probability of smoking cessation after the onset of MetS. Methods In this study we used cohort data from a rural area of Korea and extracted the data of 1054 smokers who were identifiable at baseline and were followed up. Of these, 1041 individuals were selected. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed to identify the basic characteristics of smokers. Multiple logistic regression was performed to determine the association between changes in MetS and smoking cessation. Results The probability of smoking cessation was 1.84 times higher in the newly developed MetS cohort than in the reference group (without MetS at any time point), and it was 1.61 times higher in the persistent MetS cohort than in the reference group, with both probabilities being significant. Conclusions We found that patients with MetS were more likely to quit smoking than those without MetS. However, intervention is still needed, as numerous patients with MetS continued to smoke. Interventions that actively involve medical institutions or organizations are among the most effective approaches to promote smoking cessation in patients with MetS. In particular, women, farmers and current drinkers should be prioritized.

Background: High consumption of red meat, which is carcinogenic to humans, and misuse or abuse of alcohol drinking increase premature death and shortened life expectancy. The aim of this study was to examine the association of alcohol and red meat consumption with life expectancy (LE) by analyzing data from 164 countries using an ecological approach. Design: This was a longitudinal ecological study using data from the United Nation&rsquo, s (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for 164 countries over the period 1992&ndash, 2013. In regression analysis, the relationship of alcohol and red meat consumption with LE was estimated using a pooled ordinary least squares regression model. Alcohol and red meat consumption were measured every 5 years. Results: The consumption of alcohol and red meat in high-income countries (HIC) was about 4 times (36.8&ndash, 143.0 kcal/capita/day) and 5 times (11.2&ndash, 51.9 kcal/capita/day) higher than that in low-income countries (LIC). Red meat and alcohol consumption had a negative estimated effect on LE in HIC (b = &minus, 1.616 p = &lt, 0.001 and b = &minus, 0.615, p = 0.003). Alcohol consumption was negatively associated with LE for all income groups, while positive relationships were found for all estimates associated with gross national income (GNI). Conclusions: Red meat and alcohol consumption appeared to have a negative impact on LE in high-income countries (HIC) and upper-middle-income countries (UMIC), although it had no significant association with LE in low-income countries (LIC) or lower-middle-income countries (LMIC). This study suggests reviewing the policies on the gradual reduction of alcohol abuse and the high consumption of red meat, particularly HIC and UMIC.

Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the novel virus named SARS-CoV-2 have been reported worldwide The outbreak of COVID-19 in South Korea

Background Different health behaviors influence health and illness. Spiritual well-being is one of the most important aspects of health promotion. The aim of this study was to identify the association between spiritual behavior in relation to meditation, worship, and physical exercise during yoga with self-reported disease/illness among women of the Kailali district of Nepal. Methods This was a cross-sectional study with 453 randomly selected women in the Kailali district of Nepal within 1 municipality and 4 village development committees (VDC) using cluster sampling. We used a semi-structured interview to collect the data for selected respondents. Socioeconomics, lifestyle, self-care, and spiritual behavior variables were independent variables, and self-reported illness in the past year was a dependent variable. Descriptive statistics, chi square, hierarchical logistic regression for odds ratio, and 95% CI were used when appropriate. Results Study results showed that 89% of participants were from the rural area, 29.3% were housewives, 51.4% had no formal education, 43.2% used tobacco, 42.1% did yoga, and 16.9% engaged in regular worship. Self-reported illness was associated with safe toilet-using behavior, tobacco use, junk food consumption, yoga and regular exercise, worship, and regular sleeping habits. Comparing odds ratios and 95% CIs, the women who had safe toilet behavior and did not use tobacco were 2.48 (1.98-7.98) and 2.86 (1.74-7.34) times less likely to be ill, respectively. Likewise, women who consumed junk food; did not regularly exercise, meditate, or worship; and had irregular sleeping habits were 1.65 (1.32-4.61), 2.81(1.91-5.62), 2.56 (2.01-4.88), 4.56 (3.91-8.26), and 2.45 (2.12-5.03) times more likely to become ill, respectively. Conclusion Our study concludes that spiritual behavior is effective for better health and low risk for disease occurrence. A spiritual health policy and separate curriculum for basic education and medical education should be promoted globally, and further research is recommended.

Background We aimed to explore whether the massive amounts of data generated during online search interest in dieting and weight loss could be harnessed, using big data analysis, with a view to its potential incorporation in global health obesity prevention efforts. Methods We applied big data analysis to the major global health practice of dieting for weight management. Data was collected from Google and Naver search engines from January 2004 to January 2018 using the search term ‘diet’, in: A) selected six Northern and Southern Hemisphere countries, B) five primarily Arab and Muslim countries grouped as (i) conservative, (ii) semi-conservative, and (iii) liberal, and C) South Korea. Results Using cosinor analysis to evaluate the periodic flow of time series data, we found that global searches and interest in dieting and weight loss appeared to be seasonal (seasonality amplitude = 6.94, CI = 5.33 ~ 8.56, P > 0.0000), highest in April and the lowest in October for both Northern and Southern Hemisphere countries (seasonality amplitude for Northern Hemisphere = 6.68, CI = 5.13 ~ 8.22, P > 0.0000), with a different seasonal dieting trend generally seen in the Arab and Muslim countries (monthly seasonal seasonality (amplitude = 4.07, CI = 2.20 ~ 5.95, P > 0.0000). Conclusions Our findings indicate that big data analysis of social media can be harnessed as an adjunct tool for addressing important public health issues related to diet, weight loss, and obesity management including the optimal timing for healthy public interventions, and the avoidance of food fads and quackery.

Background: Tobacco use in youths is a major public health challenge globally, and approaches to the challenge have not been sufficiently addressed. The existing policies for tobacco control are not well specified by age. Objective: Our study aims to systematically investigate existing tobacco control policies, potential impacts, and national and international challenges to control tobacco use targeting the youth. Data sources: We used the statistics of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), studies, and approaches of tobacco control policies targeting youth. Considering country, continent, age, and significance, PubMed, Health Inter-Network Access to Research Initiative (HINARI), Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Google, and Google Scholar were searched. The related keywords were tobacco control, youth, smoking, smoking reduction policies, prevalence of tobacco use in youth, classification of tobacco control policies, incentives to prevent young people from using tobacco, WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FTCT), etc. The search strategy was by timeline, specific and popular policies, reliability, significance, and applicability. Results: We found 122 studies related to this topic. There were 25 studies focusing on situation, significance, and theoretical aspects of tobacco control policies associated with youth; 41 studies on national population polices and challenges; and 7 studies for global challenges to overcome the youth tobacco epidemic. All national policies have been guided by WHO-MPOWER strategies. Increases in tobacco tax, warning signs on packaging, restriction of tobacco product advertisements, national law to discourage young people, and peer-based approaches to quit tobacco are popular policies. Smuggling of tobacco products by youth and ignorance of smokeless tobacco control approach are major challenges. Limitation: Our study was flexible for the standard age of youth and we were not able to include all countries in the world and most of the studies focused on smoking control rather than all smokeless tobaccos. Conclusion: The policies of tobacco control adopted by many countries are based on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control but not necessarily focused on youth. Due to the physical and economic burden of tobacco consumption by youth, this is a high priority that needs to be addressed. Youth-focused creative policies are necessary, and more priority must be given to tobacco prevention in youth. Tobacco control should be a social, public health, and quality-of-life concern rather than a business and trade issue. Implication of key findings: There is limited research on how and in what ways tobacco control policies reach young people and their engagement with these policies from physical, physiological, and psychological aspects. Analysis of these aspects, popular polices practiced in different countries, and creative strategies support the need to review current practices and future ways to discourage youth from tobacco use.

Introduction The goal of this study was to evaluate the differences in urine cotinine (UC) concentration based on the use of conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes (ECs), and dual product use, and determine the use of ECs in the real world. Methods In total, 15099 subjects were classified into non-smokers, cigarette smokers (c-smokers), e-cigarette smokers (e-smokers), and dual users, and their UC (a classical biomarker of smoking) values were compared. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed after adjusting for age, sex and job status to analyze the differences in UC concentration in relation to type of smoking. The reasons for using ECs and the experience of cigarette use before using ECs were analyzed. Results Of the 15099 people, 76.4% were non-smokers, 20.9% c-smokers, 2.3% dual users, and 0.4% were e-smokers. There were significant differences in UC concentration among the groups (p

Supplemental material, Supplemental_material_Table_1 for National Level Social Determinants of Health and Outcomes: Longitudinal Analysis of 27 Industrialized Countries by Myung-Bae Park and Eun Woo Nam in SAGE Open

We explored online search interest in dieting and weight loss using big-data analysis with a view to its potential utility in global obesity prevention efforts. We applied big-data analysis to the global dieting trends collected from Google and Naver search engines from January 2004 to January 2018 using the search term “diet,” in selected six Northern and Southern Hemisphere countries, five Arab and Muslim countries grouped as conservative, semi-conservative, and liberal, and South Korea. Using cosinor analysis to evaluate the periodic flow of time series data, there was seasonality for global search interest in dieting and weight loss (amplitude = 6.94, CI = 5.33~8.56, p &lt, 0.000) with highest in January and the lowest in December for both Northern and Southern Hemisphere countries. Seasonal dieting trend in the Arab and Muslim countries was present, but less remarkable (monthly seasonal seasonality, amplitude = 4.07, CI = 2.20~5.95, p &lt, 0.000). For South Korea, seasonality was noted on Naver (amplitude = 11.84, CI = 7.62~16.05, p &lt, 0.000). Our findings suggest that big-data analysis of social media can be an adjunct in tackling important public health issues like dieting, weight loss, obesity, and food fads, including the optimal timing of interventions.

Background South Korea is one of the few countries that has succeeded in flattening the curve of new COVID-19 cases and avoiding a second outbreak by implementing multiple strategies, ranging from an individual level to the population level. Objective We aim to discuss the unique strategies and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in South Korea and present a summary of policies implemented by the Korean government during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We designed a cross-sectional study of epidemiological data published by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on October 1, 2020. We analyzed detailed epidemiological information of COVID-19 cases, including the number of confirmed cases and resulting deaths. Results As of October 1, 2020, a total of 23,889 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 415 deaths were reported in South Korea. In this paper, we present data on the epidemiological characteristics and transmission of the disease and discuss how the South Korean government, health care providers, and society responded to the COVID-19 outbreak. Conclusions Understanding the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in South Korea and the government’s successful efforts in managing the spread of the disease can provide important insights to other countries dealing with the ongoing pandemic.