Weight Control Methods Related to Cotinine-Verified Smoking among Korean Adult Women: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008-2011 / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Korean women are known to have a very low smoking rate. However, the actual smoking rate among Korean women is higher than 10% and may continue to increase gradually. In addition, some Korean women use extreme weight control methods that have potentially harmful effects. This study was conducted to elucidate weight control methods related to cotinine-verified smoking among Korean adult women. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 4,189 women aged > or =19 years who had attempted weight control during the past 1 year from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008-2011. Smoking status was assessed using both self-report questionnaires and assays of urinary cotinine, and weight control methods were investigated using self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: The smoking rate based on the measurement of urinary cotinine was 12.4% +/- 0.8% among Korean women. Cotinine-verified smokers were more likely to attempt fasting (odds ratio, 2.19; 95% confidence intervals, 1.03 to 4.67), taking prescription diet-pills (odds ratio, 2.37; 95% confidence intervals, 1.47 to 3.82), and taking nonprescription diet-pills (odds ratio, 3.46; 95% confidence intervals, 1.71 to 6.98), and were less likely to attempt eating less food or modifying dietary patterns (odds ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence intervals, 0.51 to 0.99) compared to non-smokers. CONCLUSION: Korean adult women's smoking is independently related to a high likelihood of using weight control methods with potentially harmful effects, such as fasting and taking diet-pills, and a low likelihood of choosing weight control methods, including dietary modification, that require constant effort for a prolonged time.

Does Medical Emergency Team Intervention Reduce the Prevalence of Emergency Endotracheal Intubation Complications?

PURPOSE: Emergency endotracheal intubation (EEI) is a complex process that leads to various complications. Previous studies mainly demonstrated that the Medical Emergency Team (MET) intervention reduced the incidence of cardiac arrest, however, the impact of a MET on airway management has not been investigated in detail. Our purpose was to confirm the impact of a MET on airway management and compare the incidence of complications of EEI before and after MET intervention in a general ward. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed an observational study and reviewed 318 patients intubated by a MET in a general ward. RESULTS: The patients enrolled during the control (2007) and study (2009) periods were 103 and 215, respectively. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation requiring emergency intubation in a general ward was reduced after MET intervention at the Asan Medical Center (39.8% vs. 19.1%, p<0.001). Pre-intubation and post-intubation oxygen saturation levels were higher after MET intervention (pre-intubation, 80% before vs. 92% after MET, p<0.001; post-intubation, 95% before vs. 99% after MET, p<0.001). The use of vasopressors after intubation decreased as a result of MET intervention (62.1% before vs. 36.7% after MET, p<0.001). Hypotension was also reduced (34% before vs. 8.8% after MET, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Early interventions of a MET changed the causes of emergency intubation in a general ward from cardiopulmonary resuscitation to respiratory distress or shock and improved hypoxemia and hypotension related to emergency intubation. The MET intervention is safe and effective system for emergency intubation in a general ward.

The Development of an Evaluation Model for the Acceptability of Health Information Websites / 대한의료정보학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study suggested a newly developed research model, which is based on TAM(Technology Acceptance Model), to empirically and theoretically verify the acceptance behavior of the internet users for the health website, as the availability of health information through the Internet is rapidly increasing. In this proposed model: the Subjective Norm, the Output Quality, and the Perceived Playfulness were used as the independent variables; TAM variables, including the Perceived Usefulness, the Perceived Ease of Use, the Attitude Toward Use, and the Behavioral Intention were used as the mediator variables; and the Actual Use and the Website Loyalty were used as the dependent variables to measure the individual user's acceptance of the health website. METHOD: The members of the Health Guide(http://www.healthguide.or.kr), who received a flyer through the LISTSERV of it, were eligible to participate in this study. The proposed research model was tested employing the SEM (Structural Equation Model) to empirically verify the hypotheses. RESULTS: The results of the CFA(Confirmatory Factor Analysis) demonstrated that all the measurements fit the data well. Each of the hypotheses was also tested in the structural model. The study results were as follows: First, the subjective norm affected the continuous intention to use of the website(Website Loyalty); Second, the output quality was the significant key factor to positively affect the perceived playfulness, the perceived usefulness, the perceived ease of use, and the website loyalty perceptions. Most of the hypotheses from the original model of TAM were supported; Third, the behavioral intention significantly affected the actual use and the website loyalty; Fourth, the mediating effect of the TAM constructs was significant; Fifth, men were highly acceptable to the health information website than women. The acceptance of the health professional's acceptance of the health website were higher than that of those who in any other profession. CONCLUSION: In the healthcare area, a few studies have evaluated health consumer's information and technology acceptance within a theoretical framework. Therefore, the approach to extend TAM in healthcare is worthy of examination to evaluate health consumer's acceptance of the health website.