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

Semaglutide, a medication used for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, may have unexpected side effects such as sarcopenia and age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. A 74-year-old male patient with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia presented with progressive fatigue over 2 years. He experienced a significant decline in walking endurance and speed despite the absence of joint pain or other obvious causes. He had a history of ocular myasthenia gravis and localized prostate cancer, both of which were well-managed. Further investigation revealed a weight loss of 8 kg after starting semaglutide treatment for diabetes. Physical examinations revealed reduced muscle bulk and strength. Extensive investigations, including blood tests, imaging, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing, have ruled out other potential causes of fatigue. The patient’s fatigue improved after reducing the semaglutide dose and implementing a tailored exercise program that focused on muscle strengthening. This case highlights the potential contribution of semaglutide to muscle mass loss and subsequent fatigue, particularly among older adults.

Background
Although breakfast provides essential nutrients and energy, skipping this meal has become increasingly common among young adults in Korea. In this study, we examine the relationship between breakfast consumption and body composition.
Methods
We analyzed data from 17,763 students aged 18–39 at Seoul National University (2018–2022). Participants were categorized based on their breakfast frequency: non-skippers, 1 to 3-day skippers, and 4 to 7-day skippers. Measurements included body mass index, waist circumference, body fat percentage, fat mass index (FMI), fat-free mass index (FFMI), and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI). Multivariable logistic and linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, alcohol use, smoking, physical activity, sleep, and food consumption frequencies were used.
Results
Obesity (17.4% vs. 14.8%) and abdominal obesity (10.0% vs. 7.8%) were higher in those skipping breakfast 4 to 7 d/wk compared with non-skippers. Skipping breakfast was not significantly associated with abdominal obesity in either sex. In women, the odds of obesity were higher (odds ratio, 1.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.14–2.15; P=0.006), whereas no significant difference was observed in men. Men who skipped breakfast had increased body fat percentage (coefficient, 0.87; P<0.001) and FMI (coefficient, 0.18; P=0.009) and decreased FFMI and SMI. Women showed increased body fat percentage (coefficient, 0.92; P<0.001) and FMI but no significant differences in FFMI or SMI.
Conclusion
Skipping breakfast adversely affects body composition by increasing body fat percentage and FMI. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms.

Background
Depression is a prevalent mental health disorder that presents substantial public health challenges. Emerging evidence underscores the role of dietary patterns in mitigating depressive symptoms. This study investigated the association between diet quality, assessed using the Recommended Food Score (RFS), and depressive symptoms, evaluated with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), in a sample of Korean adults.
Methods
This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 19,786 participants recruited from a general hospital in Korea, all of whom completed the RFS and PHQ-9 assessments. General characteristics and anthropometric indices were recorded. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and binary logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals for depressive symptoms according to RFS scores, adjusting for potential confounders.
Results
Higher RFS scores were associated with reduced odds of depression in univariate (OR, 0.59; P<0.001) and multivariate (OR, 0.72; P<0.001) analyses. Sociodemographic factors, including older age, higher education, marital status, higher income, professional occupation, and regular exercise, were linked to decreased odds of depression. Conversely, female sex, current smoking, and alcohol consumption were associated with increased odds.
Conclusion
The findings reveal an inverse relationship between diet quality and depressive symptoms among Korean adults, emphasizing the potential of dietary improvements in mental health promotion. Sociodemographic factors significantly influence depression risk. Future studies should adopt longitudinal designs incorporating a wider range of variables to elucidate these complex interactions.

Background
Menstrual hygiene is crucial to a woman’s physical, social, and mental well-being. The menstrual cup offers a safe and effective solution but still requires wider adoption. This study aims to assess awareness, practices, and barriers regarding the use of menstrual cups among women of reproductive age.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 246 participants, randomly selected from outpatient settings of a tertiary care hospital in 2022. Non-pregnant menstruating women were included, while those with pelvic infections or cognitive impairments were excluded. After explaining the study’s purpose and ensuring anonymity, data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from previous studies conducted in India and abroad. Knowledge and practices were depicted using descriptive statistics, while factors affecting awareness were analyzed using a multivariable binary logistic regression analysis approach.
Results
Approximately 64.2% of participants were aware of menstrual cups, but only three were users. Participants living in urban areas, practicing Hinduism, and marrying after the age of 20 years showed higher awareness. Users rated the cup as comfortable, with no skin irritation, foul odor, or dryness. The primary barrier to use was insufficient knowledge.
Conclusion
There is a gap in awareness and usage of menstrual cups, especially in low- and middle-income countries like India. Preliminary feedback from users is encouraging, suggesting that menstrual cups could offer a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and sustainable way to improve menstrual hygiene.

Primary care services improve healthcare outcomes and limit unnecessary specialty care. Thus, it is essential to monitor primary care physician demand and supply projections to suggest evidence-based healthcare reforms and promote better healthcare delivery. This study evaluates 28 demand variables, 50 supply variables, and 26 additional variables associated with the demand and supply projections of physicians by reviewing scenarios from other countries, including Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, and the United States of America. The results indicate that Korea uses less diverse demand and supply indicators and suggest the need to implement variables used in the other four countries to improve projection modeling.

Citations

• What is the optimal number of physicians for a sustainable healthcare system?
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(1): 1.     CrossRef

Background
The liver plays an important role in gonadal steroid hormone metabolism, which can affect reproductive health, including the menstrual cycle. However, evidence from large population-based studies is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between liver function markers and menstrual cycle irregularities in premenopausal Korean women using nationwide data.
Methods
This study analyzed Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2011. We investigated 3,045 premenopausal women aged 19–59 years. Liver function markers including serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase, and fatty liver index were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between liver function markers and menstrual cycle irregularity while adjusting for confounding factors. Values were presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analysis was also performed.
Results
Baseline characteristic analysis showed that approximately 14.4% of the study population experienced menstrual cycle irregularity. The mean age was 34.5±0.7 years. The highest quartile of serum ALT and AST levels showed significantly higher ORs for menstrual cycle irregularity (adjusted OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.26–2.64 and adjusted OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.17–2.39, respectively). A similar result was observed in the subgroup analysis.
Conclusion
Liver function markers were positively associated with menstrual cycle irregularities. In clinical settings, women of reproductive age with relatively decreased liver function should be considered for regular followup of their reproductive health status.

Background
Female workers in Indonesia are vulnerable, because they must work to earn a living while still being responsible for domestic problems. This study analyzes the barriers to the use of modern contraceptives by female workers in Indonesia’s urban areas.
Methods
This cross-sectional survey looked at 21,696 female workers. We used modern contraceptive use as a dependent variable, and age, education, wealth, known modern contraceptives, number of live births, ideal number of children, and insurance ownership as independent variables. In the final test, we employed binary logistic regression.
Results
The results showed that women at all age categories were more likely than those aged 15–19 years not to use modern contraceptives, except those aged 35–39 years, who showed no difference. All other marital types were more likely to use modern contraceptives than married individuals. Rich female workers were 1.139 times more likely than poor workers not to use modern contraceptives (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.139; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.026–1.264). Female workers who did not know about modern contraceptives were 4.549 times more likely than those who did not to use modern contraceptives (AOR, 4.549; 95% CI, 1.037–19.953). Female workers with more than two children were 9.996 times more likely than those with two or fewer children not to use modern contraceptives (AOR, 9.996; 95% CI, 9.1890–10.875).
Conclusion
This study identified five factors associated with the non-use of modern contraceptives by female workers in Indonesia’s urban areas: young, unmarried, rich, did not know about modern contraceptives, and had more than two children.

Background
The relationship between weight change and quality of life remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate whether changes in body weight among participants in different baseline body mass index categories are associated with physical and mental health functioning.
Methods
We conducted an analysis involving 5,106 adults who participated in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study, a cohort comprising Korean adults aged 40 to 69 years. We categorized participants into three groups based on body weight change, and physical and mental health were assessed using the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey in year 4. We employed logistic regression analysis to assess the association between body weight change and poor functioning at year 4. We also utilized a generalized estimating equation to determine the relationship between weight changes and mental component summary (MCS) scores over the study period for each weight group.
Results
Weight gain in both the normal weight (odds ratio [OR], 1.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13–3.11; P=0.01) and overweight groups (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.05–2.91; P=0.03) was associated with poor MCS. Normal weight weight-losers were associated with a greater increase (2.69 points; 95% CI, 0.50–4.88) in MCS compared to weightmaintainers. Significant differences in mean MCS were observed for overweight weight-losers, obese weight-gainers, and underweight weight-gainers when compared to weight maintainers in each respective weight group.
Conclusion
Different patterns of relationships between weight change and mental health-related quality of life were observed. Hence, it is crucial to focus on the mental health of middle-aged and older adults when assessing body weight changes.

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

Background
Malnutrition is common among children under 5 years of age in Indonesia, with the rates varying between urban and rural areas. The minimum acceptable diet (MAD) assesses nutrient quality and quantity. This study aimed to identify the potential variables for MAD in 6–23-month-old children in both urban and rural Indonesia.
Methods
We used the data from the 2017 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey to conduct this nationally representative study. A total of 4,688 children aged 6–23 months were included in the study. MAD was classified using the 2017 World Health Organization global nutrition monitoring framework. The determinants of MAD were analyzed using multiple logistic regression.
Results
Overall, 45% of children aged 6–23 months received the required MAD, with 47.4% receiving the MAD in urban areas and 35.7% in rural areas. Children’s age, fathers’ age, parents’ education level, mothers’ employment, and wealth index were strongly linked to MAD in both rural and urban homes. The factor specifically related to MAD in urban areas was mother living with her husband. For rural households, mothers’ involvement in decisionmaking and a minimum of four antenatal care (ANC) visits significantly increased the likelihood of their children’s MAD status.
Conclusion
MAD status was determined by increased child age, higher parent education, younger father, working mother, and higher wealth index in children aged 6–23 months in both urban and rural settings. Mothers living with a spouse determined the MAD status only in urban areas. More frequent ANC visits and mother participation in household decisions were other factors related to MAD status in rural areas.

Background
This study compared the impact of Short Message Service (SMS)-based education with traditional group-based education and the control group on body mass index, weight, and lifestyle in obese and overweight patients in a limited-resource country. It also compared the direct financial costs between the two intervention groups.
Methods
In this controlled randomized educational study, 90 overweight or obese adults from four family physician clinics in Shiraz, Iran were randomly allocated to three training groups: SMS-based education, group-based education, and a control group. The participants’ weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference were measured at baseline, and the Physical Activity Scale questionnaire was completed. Group-based training was conducted in 1-hour weekly sessions. The SMS group received a text message each morning. The control group received routine care from a family physician. The intervention lasted 12 weeks. All participants were re-examined for the studied variables. Additionally, the direct costs were estimated, calculated, and compared.
Results
The mean weight, BMI, and waist circumference changed significantly after 3 months compared to baseline in each group. The mean weight change differed significantly among the three groups (P-value=0.04), and the mean BMI changes were near significant (P-value=0.06). A post hoc comparison of changes in weight and BMI showed a significant difference between the control and SMS groups. SMS education incurred much lower costs for patients and healthcare services than group-based education.
Conclusion
The study showed that SMS is an effective and cost-saving educational method for weight loss compared to group-based education, especially in developing countries.

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

Citations

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

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

Citations

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

Background
The Web is an important source of health information, but the quality of such online information is highly variable. This study evaluates the quality of health articles published on Naver News, Korea’s most popular portal, using the Health Information Quality Assessment Tool (HIQUAL).
Methods
We collected 712 health-related articles published on Naver News from May 1 to 7, 2023. After applying exclusion criteria, we selected 116 articles for analysis. Two clinicians independently assessed the quality of these articles using the HIQUAL, which scores articles based on five domains: “reliability,” “usefulness,” “understandability,” “sufficiency,” and “transparency.”
Results
Overall article quality was generally considered recommendable (mean±standard deviation: 7.52±2.00). “Usefulness,” one item of “reliability,” and “understandability” were the three items with the highest levels of satisfaction. “Sufficiency” criteria for costs, risks, and benefits received low scores. Quality scores for articles focused on health risk factors and intervention showed a statistically significant difference.
Conclusion
While the overall quality of health information in Korean online newspaper articles is acceptable, room for improvement remains in some areas, particularly with regard to the fair presentation of costs, risks, and benefits. The study highlights the need for ongoing quality improvement and evaluation initiatives for online health information.

Background
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted healthcare services, including chronic disease management, for vulnerable groups, such as older individuals with hypertension. This study aimed to evaluate hypertension management in South Korea’s elderly population during the pandemic using treatment consistency indices such as the continuity of care (COC), modified, modified continuity index (MMCI), and most frequent provider continuity (MFPC).
Methods
This study used the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency-COVID-19-National Health Insurance Service cohort (K-COV-N cohort) from the National Health Insurance Service between 2017 and 2021. The research included a total of 4,097,299 hypertensive patients aged 65 years or older. We defined 2018 and 2019 as the baseline period before the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 and 2021 as the COVID-19 period and calculated the indices of medical continuity (number of visits, COC, MMCI, and MFPC) on a yearly basis.
Results
The number of visits decreased during the COVID-19 period compared to the baseline period (59.64±52.75 vs. 50.49±50.33, P<0.001). However, COC, MMCI, and MFPC were not decreased in the baseline period compared to the COVID-19 period (0.71±0.21 vs. 0.71±0.22, P<0.001; 0.97±0.05 vs. 0.96±0.05, P<0.001; 0.8±0.17 vs. 0.8±0.17, P<0.001, respectively).
Conclusion
COVID-19 had no significant impact on the continuity of care but affected the frequency of outpatient visits for older patients with hypertension. However, this study highlights the importance of addressing healthcare inequalities, especially in older patients with hypertension, during pandemics and advocates for policy changes to ensure continued care for vulnerable populations.

Citations

• Reflecting on progress and challenges: the Korean Journal of Family Medicine in 2024
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(2): 55.     CrossRef
• The impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on hypertension phenotypes (ESH ABPM COVID-19 study)
  Aleksandra Ostrowska, Wiktoria Wojciechowska, Marek Rajzer, Thomas Weber, Michael Bursztyn, Alexandre Persu, George Stergiou, Grzegorz Kiełbasa, Marzena Chrostowska, Michaelis Doumas, Gianfranco Parati, Grzegorz Bilo, Guido Grassi, Giuseppe Mancia, Andrze
  European Journal of Internal Medicine.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef

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

Citations

• What is the optimal number of physicians for a sustainable healthcare system?
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(1): 1.     CrossRef
• Reinforcing Primary Care in Korea: Policy Implications, Data Sources, and Research Methods
  Chung-Nyun Kim, Seok-Jun Yoon
  Journal of Korean Medical Science.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Obesity management in primary care: A joint clinical perspective and expert review from the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) and the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) - 2025
  Nicholas Pennings, Catherine Varney, Shaun Hines, Bernadette Riley, Patricia Happel, Samir Patel, Harold Edward Bays
  Obesity Pillars.2025; 14: 100172.     CrossRef
• Reflecting on progress and challenges: the Korean Journal of Family Medicine in 2024
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(2): 55.     CrossRef
• Current Status and Future Directions of Primary Care in the World: Insights from Japan
  Sinyoung Cho, Belong Cho, Seo Eun Hwang
  Korean Journal of Family Practice.2025; 15(1): 22.     CrossRef
• Supply of Primary Care Physicians: A Key Strategy to Reduce Population Mortality
  Young Gyu Cho
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(2): 59.     CrossRef
• Primary Care Physicians’ Important Role: Lifestyle Modification for Chronic Disease Management
  Su-Min Jeong
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(5): 237.     CrossRef

Background
In patients with breast cancer, a healthy diet can help reduce breast cancer-specific recurrence, mortality, and comorbid chronic disease rates. There have been few studies on dietary habits immediately after breast cancer diagnosis, especially those involving the Asian population. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the nutritional habits of newly diagnosed patients with breast cancer and the general population without cancer in Korea using propensity score (PS) matching.
Methods
We conducted a case-controlled study of 157 patients with breast cancer and 2,363 cancer-free control participants from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The PS values for the predicted probability of patients with breast cancer and the general population were estimated using logistic regression analysis, including age and body mass index. The dietary patterns were assessed using a 24-hour recall of 1 day and the Food Frequency Questionnaire.
Results
PS matching showed that patients with breast cancer consumed fewer calories and carbohydrates; however, they consumed more protein and fat compared to the general population. Compared to the general population, patients with breast cancer consumed more healthy foods such as fish, seaweed, vegetables, fruit, mixed-grain rice, and nuts; however, they also consumed more soup, stew, and red meat.
Conclusion
Newly diagnosed patients with breast cancer have some healthy dietary habits compared to the general population. However, there is considerable room for improvement in their diet quality. Our results support the need to develop tailored dietary recommendations for patients with breast cancer during the diagnostic and posttreatment periods to improve their diet quality.

Manifestations of gender-based violence although many, and sometimes more pronounced in areas of armed conflict, go unnoticed due to multiple factors. Gender-based violence targeted towards women, affect their overall health negatively, particularly the reproductive well-being. Major conflicts arising in the Middle East over the past 10–15 years, ranging from the Arab uprising to the Syrian civil war, have drawn attention world-wide. This study aims to shed light on the importance of recognizing violence against women, its effect on their reproductive health, and the policies that should be implemented to limit its adverse impact. Towards this end, we have highlighted the important role played by all healthcare professionals, epidemiologists, and surveyors working in peace and war areas to recognize such atrocities towards women.

Citations

• Reflecting on progress and challenges: the Korean Journal of Family Medicine in 2024
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(2): 55.     CrossRef
• Women’s Health and Primary Care
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(1): 1.     CrossRef
• Correction: Gender-Based Violence and Women Reproductive Health in War Affected Area
  Manar Shalak, Favour Ekerete Markson, Manoj Nepal
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(5): 302.     CrossRef

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

Citations

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

Background
Malaysia is the first country in the Western Pacific Region to receive the validation certificate for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The validation report recommends making sexual and reproductive health and rights of women living with HIV a priority. This article explores and assesses the sexual and reproductive health, rights, and access to healthcare services of Malaysia’s women living with HIV (WLHIV).
Methods
A qualitative secondary analysis conducted on 73 WLHIV from all over Malaysia comprised 11 in-depth interviews and 16 focus group discussions. Data were extracted from the original interview transcripts that emerged from the following questions: (1) “What are your experiences as a woman living with HIV in relation to your sexual and reproductive health and rights?” (2) “What are your experiences in accessing contraception?” (3) “What are your day-to-day experiences as a woman living with HIV?” Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results
Four themes emerged from the study findings: “lack of negotiation,” “idealism in pregnancy,” “coping with restrictions,” and “past and future fears.” The four themes are grounded in religion, a patriarchal culture, meaning and expectations of motherhood, taking risks and going against medical advice to pursue fertility desires, fear of HIV transmission, and the side effects of contraceptive use.
Conclusion
The complexities involved in decision-making regarding contraceptive use revealed how WLHIV may have unresolved reproductive health needs inconsistent with healthcare providers’ focus on HIV management and prevention. Suggestions are made for improving the sexual and reproductive health and rights of WLHIV in Malaysia, which include establishing a reproductive health counseling program.

Citations

• Reflecting on progress and challenges: the Korean Journal of Family Medicine in 2024
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(2): 55.     CrossRef
• Women’s Health and Primary Care
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(1): 1.     CrossRef
• Postpartum modern family planning among women living with HIV attending care at health facilities in Busia County, Kenya
  Florence Zawedde Tebagalika, Derrick Kimuli, Dennis Walusimbi, Edna Nyang’echi, Louisa Ndunyu
  Contraception and Reproductive Medicine.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has led to an alarming increase in domestic violence against women owing to lockdown measures and limited access to support services. This article provides insights into the global prevalence of domestic violence, barriers to seeking help, its impact on women and children, and the best practices implemented worldwide. Domestic violence encompasses various forms of abuse; many young women experience partner violence. Barriers to seeking help include fear, financial constraints, lack of awareness of available services, and distrust among stakeholders. The consequences of domestic violence affect the mental health of both mothers and children. Countries have increased shelter funding and developed innovative protocols to reach survivors and address this issue. However, the healthcare sector’s involvement in addressing domestic violence has been limited. This review advocates collaboration among healthcare institutions and government bodies. Key recommendations include utilizing telehealth services, implementing comprehensive training programs, establishing effective referral systems, enhancing health education, developing a domestic violence registry, improving the responses of law enforcement and justice systems through healthcare integration, promoting data sharing, and conducting further research. Healthcare systems should recognize domestic violence as a public health concern and detect, prevent, and intervene in cases to support survivors.

Citations

• Implementing an Educational Intervention on Formal Training of MBBS Interns Regarding Response to Violence Against Women
  Madhva Prasad, Amruta Pentakota, Pubali Biswas, Nagavaishnavi Bhaskara
  The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of India.2025; 75(1): 28.     CrossRef
• Emerging Trends in Intimate Partner Rape and Marital/Spousal Rape During the Biennium 2020 and 2021, Including the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece
  Maria-Valeria Karakasi, Ioannis Nikolaidis, Eleni Fotou, Anestis Sapounas, Apostolos Patounas, Sofia Sakka, Charalampos Ntentopoulos, Pavlos Pavlidis, Polychronis Voultsos
  Journal of Interpersonal Violence.2025; 40(1-2): 370.     CrossRef
• Reflecting on progress and challenges: the Korean Journal of Family Medicine in 2024
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(2): 55.     CrossRef
• Women’s Health and Primary Care
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(1): 1.     CrossRef
• Investigating and Practicing Orthopedics at the Intersection of Sex and Gender: Understanding the Physiological Basis, Pathology, and Treatment Response of Orthopedic Conditions by Adopting a Gender Lens: A Narrative Overview
  Carlo Biz, Rola Khamisy-Farah, Luca Puce, Lukasz Szarpak, Manlio Converti, Halil İbrahim Ceylan, Alberto Crimì, Nicola Luigi Bragazzi, Pietro Ruggieri
  Biomedicines.2024; 12(5): 974.     CrossRef

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

Citations

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

Background
Physical activity is known to prevent several diseases and positively affect mental health. Previous studies have shown that smartphone addiction negatively affects the physical activity of children and adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between problematic smartphone use and physical activity among adolescents and the related factors using path analysis.
Methods
Using data from the 16th Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey from 2020, scores on the Smartphone Addiction Scale—Short Version for Adolescents, physical activity, sex, socioeconomic status (SES), academic performance, depression, smoking, drinking, and sitting time were assessed. Complex sampling and path analyses were performed.
Results
Of the total 54,948 students, 25.5% were smartphone risk users, including potential and high-risk users. The direct path coefficients of each factor indicated that female sex (-0.14 for male), low SES (-0.062), high academic performance (0.056), low sitting time for studying purposes (-0.033), high sitting time for non-studying purposes (0.071), and depressive mood (0.130) were related to problematic smartphone use (all P<0.001). Each factor affected problematic smartphone use, and subsequently had a negative effect on the amount of physical activity, with a direct path coefficient of -0.115 (P<0.001).
Conclusion
In this study, we confirmed that problematic smartphone use among adolescents was negatively associated with performing an adequate amount of physical activity and that various factors, such as sex, SES, academic performance, and sitting time, directly and indirectly affected this relationship.

Citations

• Global trends in importance of 24-hour movement behaviors to pediatric health: implications for South Korea
  Eun-Young Lee, Reyana Jayawardena, Seiyeong Park, Justin Y Jeon, Yeon-Soo Kim, Mark S. Tremblay
  Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics.2025; 68(1): 16.     CrossRef
• The Association between Problematic Smartphone Use and Mental Health in Austrian Adolescents and Young Adults
  Doris Mayerhofer, Katja Haider, Manuela Amon, Afsaneh Gächter, Teresa O’Rourke, Rachel Dale, Elke Humer, Thomas Probst, Christoph Pieh
  Healthcare.2024; 12(6): 600.     CrossRef
• 2023 Obesity Fact Sheet: Prevalence of Obesity and Abdominal Obesity in Adults, Adolescents, and Children in Korea from 2012 to 2021
  Su-Min Jeong, Jin-Hyung Jung, Ye Seul Yang, Wonsock Kim, In Young Cho, You-Bin Lee, Kye-Yeung Park, Ga Eun Nam, Kyungdo Han
  Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome.2024; 33(1): 27.     CrossRef
• Guidelines for physical activity counseling in primary healthcare clinics
  Yun Jun Yang
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2024; 67(4): 265.     CrossRef
• Collaborative Physical Activity: Innovations in Primary Health Care and Educational Sector
  Fides A. del Castillo
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(3): 178.     CrossRef
• How is parental psychological control associated with adolescent mental health in economically disadvantaged areas? The serial mediating role of psychological reactance and problematic smartphone use
  Qiangqiang Li, Shuwen Wei, Zixiao Liu
  Frontiers in Psychiatry.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Depression, anxiety, and stress in the Chilean Educational System: children and adolescents post-pandemic prevalence and variables
  Jonathan Martínez-Líbano, María-Mercedes Yeomans-Cabrera
  Frontiers in Education.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Does Excessive Smartphone Use Reduce Physical Activity in Adolescents?
  Soo Young Kim
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2023; 44(5): 247.     CrossRef

Potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) is a major public health concern with several undesirable health consequences for older adults. In this overview, we aimed to map and gather information from existing literature to provide a better insight into the prevalence of PIP among community dwellers. Electronic databases were searched from their inception to April 2022. The quality of the included systematic reviews (SRs) was assessed using the assessment of multiple systematic reviews checklist. The degree of overlap within the SRs was also evaluated (2% overlap). All SRs on the prevalence of PIP in older individuals in community settings were included, and a narrative approach was used to synthesize data. Nineteen SRs comprising 548 primary studies met the inclusion criteria, and the average quality of the included SRs was moderate. More than half (50.5%) of the primary studies were conducted in Europe, followed by the United States (22.8%), and Asia (18.9%). Thirty different criteria were used in the primary studies to estimate the prevalence of PIP. The most widely used criteria were those presented in Beers (41.8%) and STOPP (Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Prescriptions)/START (Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment) (21.8%) criteria. Benzodiazepines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and antidepressants were the most frequently reported PIPs. A considerable variation in the prevalence of PIP ranging from 0% to 98% was reported by SRs. However, there is a high degree of uncertainty regarding the extent of PIP in community settings. To identify knowledge-to-action gaps, SR authors should consider the differences in prevalence of PIP according to settings, applied tools, data sources, geographical areas, and specific pathologies. There is also a need for primary and SR studies from low- and middle-income countries regarding the prevalence of PIP.

This study aimed to identify the indices/indicators used for evaluating the “creating supportive environments” mechanism of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, with a focus on built environments, in different settings. A search for literature with no time limit constraint was performed across Medline (via PubMed), Scopus, and Embase databases. Search terms included “Ottawa Charter,” “health promotion,” “supportive environments,” “built environments,” “index,” and “indicator.” we included the studies conducted on developing, identifying, and/or measuring health promotion indices/indicators associated with “built environments” in different settings. The review articles were excluded. Extracted data included the type of instrument used for measuring the index/indicator, the number of items, participants, settings, the purpose of indices/indicators, and a minimum of two associated examples of the indices domains/indicators. The key definitions and summarized information from studies are presented in tables. In total, 281 studies were included in the review, within which 36 indices/indicators associated with “built environment” were identified. The majority of the studies (77%) were performed in developed countries. Based on their application in different settings, the indices/indicators were categorized into seven groups: (1) Healthy Cities (n=5), (2) Healthy Municipalities and Communities (n=18), (3) Healthy Markets (n=3), (4) Healthy Villages (n=1), (5) Healthy Workplaces (n=4), (6) Health-Promoting Schools (n=3), and (7) Healthy Hospitals (n=3). Health promotion specialists, health policymakers, and social health researchers can use this collection of indices/indicators while designing/evaluating interventions to create supportive environments for health in various settings.

Citations

• The Role of Pharmacists in Health Promotion
  Pallav Dave
  Asian Journal of Dental and Health Sciences.2024; 4(2): 32.     CrossRef

Background
Recent studies have reported that chronic mental health problems often emerge in young adulthood. This study elucidated the independent effects of smoking and drinking on depressed mood in young adults by sex.
Methods
We used Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys conducted in 2014, 2016, and 2018. A total of 3,391 participants aged 19–35 years, without serious chronic diseases, were recruited for this study. Depression was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).
Results
Smoking behavior, current smoking, and number of days smoked were significantly associated with higher PHQ-9 scores in both men and women (all P<0.05). However, past and ever smoking were positively associated with PHQ-9 scores only in women (all P<0.001). Regarding alcohol consumption, the age at which drinking first began was negatively associated with PHQ-9 scores in both men and women (all P<0.001), but the amount of alcohol consumed at 1 time was positively associated with PHQ-9 scores only in women (P=0.013). Men who drank 2–4 times a month and women who had not drunk during the past year had the lowest PHQ-9 scores.
Conclusion
Smoking and alcohol consumption were independently associated with depressed mood in young Korean adults, which was more pronounced in women, and exhibited sex-specific characteristics.

Citations

• Women’s Health and Primary Care
  Seung-Won Oh
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2024; 45(1): 1.     CrossRef
• Pharmacotherapy guidelines for smoking cessation in primary healthcare clinics
  Cheol Min Lee, Yu Jin Paek, Yoo Bin Seo, Eon Sook Lee
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2024; 67(4): 230.     CrossRef

With aging, loss of skeletal muscle mass and muscle function increases, resulting in an increased risk of falls, fractures, long-term institutional care, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and even death. Sarcopenia, which is derived from the Greek words “sarx” or flesh+“penia” or loss, is defined as a condition characterized by low muscle mass and low muscle strength and performance. In 2019, the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) published a consensus paper on the diagnosis and treatment of sarcopenia. The AWGS 2019 guideline, specifically, presented strategies for case-finding and assessment to help diagnose “possible sarcopenia” in primary care settings. For case finding, the AWGS 2019 guideline proposed an algorithm that recommends calf circumference measurement (cut-off <34 cm in men, <33 cm in women) or the SARC-F (strength, assistance with walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and falls) questionnaire (cut-off ≥4). If this case finding is confirmed, handgrip strength (cutoff <28 kg in men, <18 kg in women) or the 5-time chair stand test (≥12 seconds) should be performed to diagnose “possible sarcopenia.” If an individual is diagnosed as “possible sarcopenia,” AWGS 2019 recommends that the individual should start lifestyle interventions and related health education for primary healthcare users. Because no medication is available to treat sarcopenia, exercise and nutrition is essential for sarcopenia management. Many guidelines, recommend physical activity, with a focus on progressive resistance (strength) training, as a first-line therapy for the management of sarcopenia. It is essential to educate older adults with sarcopenia on the need to increase protein intake. Many guidelines recommended that older people should consume at least 1.2 g of proteins/kg/d. This minimum threshold can be increased in the presence of catabolic or muscle wasting. Previous studies reported that leucine, a branched-chain amino acid, is essential for protein synthesis in muscle, and a stimulator for skeletal muscle synthesis. A guideline conditionally recommends that diet or nutritional supplements should be combined with exercise intervention for older adults with sarcopenia.

Citations

• Evaluating sarcopenia and nutritional status in outpatients with liver cirrhosis: concordance of diagnostic methods
  Marina Demas Rezende Gischewski, Fernanda Lívia Cavalcante Araujo, Aryana Isabelle De Almeida Neves Siqueira, Alina Joana da Silva Wallraf, João Araújo Barros Neto, Nassib Bezerra Bueno Nassib, Juliana Célia de Farias Santos, Fabiana Andréa Moura
  Nutrición Hospitalaria.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Update on the Complications and Management of Liver Cirrhosis
  Hiba Fadlallah, Diala El Masri, Hisham F. Bahmad, Wassim Abou-Kheir, Jad El Masri
  Medical Sciences.2025; 13(1): 13.     CrossRef
• Diabetes and Sarcopenia: Intersection of Co Morbid Conditions
  Byron J. Hoogwerf
  OBM Geriatrics.2025; 09(01): 1.     CrossRef
• Prevalence and Associated Factors of Dynapenia, Pre-Sarcopenia, and Sarcopenia in Korean Adults: A Cross-Sectional Epidemiological Study
  Do-Youn Lee
  Medicina.2025; 61(4): 575.     CrossRef
• The Prognostic Significance of Handgrip Strength in Cirrhosis: Simplicity Is the Ultimate Sophistication
  Binxin Cui, Ziyi Yang, Chao Sun
  Portal Hypertension & Cirrhosis.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Guidelines for obesity clinic consultations in primary healthcare clinics
  Jee-Hyun Kang, Kyoung-Kon Kim
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2024; 67(4): 240.     CrossRef
• Guidelines for physical activity counseling in primary healthcare clinics
  Yun Jun Yang
  Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2024; 67(4): 265.     CrossRef
• Whole Genome Linkage and Association Analyses Identify DLG Associated Protein-1 as a Novel Positional and Biological Candidate Gene for Muscle Strength: The Long Life Family Study
  Adam J Santanasto, Sandeep Acharya, Mary K Wojczynski, Ryan K Cvejkus, Shiow Lin, Michael R Brent, Jason A Anema, Lihua Wang, Bharat Thyagarajan, Kaare Christensen, E Warwick Daw, Joseph M Zmuda, Lewis A Lipsitz
  The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Predictors of hip fracture in 15 European countries: a longitudinal study of 48,533 geriatric adults using SHARE dataset
  M. Azhar Hussain, Rizwan Qaisar, Asima Karim, Firdos Ahmad, Fabio Franzese, Atif Awad, Abeer A. Al-Masri, Mohammed Alsaeed, Shaea A. Alkahtani
  Archives of Osteoporosis.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Open, Active-Controlled Clinical Study to Evaluate the Correlation between Whole Body DEXA and BIA Muscle Measurements
  Yong-Chan Ha, Shinjune Kim, Jun-Il Yoo
  Journal of Bone Metabolism.2024; 31(3): 219.     CrossRef
• Doctor and patient perceptions of sarcopenia in community-based primary care clinics: a questionnaire survey
  Jungha Park, Daehyun Lee, Jae Young Jang, Jung-Ha Kim, Jae Uk Baek, Myungkwan Jeong, Sungwouk Kim, Moonbae Kyoung, Miji Kim, Chang Won Won
  European Geriatric Medicine.2024; 15(6): 1827.     CrossRef
• Frequency of clinical signs in patients with Cushing's syndrome and mild autonomous cortisol secretion: overlap is common
  Leah T Braun, Frederick Vogel, Elisabeth Nowak, German Rubinstein, Stephanie Zopp, Katrin Ritzel, Felix Beuschlein, Martin Reincke
  European Journal of Endocrinology.2024; 191(4): 473.     CrossRef
• Efficacy of a combined exercise and nutrition intervention study for outpatients with possible sarcopenia in community-based primary care clinics (ENdSarC): study protocol for a multicenter single-blinded randomized controlled trial
  Woohyuk Ji, Daehyun Lee, Minjin Kim, Nahyun Lim, Jae-Young Lim, Jae Uk Baek, Sungwouk Kim, Choong Hyung Lee, Miji Kim, Chang Won Won
  BMC Geriatrics.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Age-related increase in the excitability of mouse layer V pyramidal neurons in the primary motor cortex is accompanied by an increased persistent inward current
  Jose A. Viteri, Nikolaus Bueschke, Joseph M. Santin, W. David Arnold
  GeroScience.2024; 47(2): 2199.     CrossRef
• The Effect of Long Chain n-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Muscle Strength in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
  Maha Timraz, Ahmad Binmahfoz, Terry J. Quinn, Emilie Combet, Stuart R. Gray
  Nutrients.2023; 15(16): 3579.     CrossRef

Cancer, or malignancy, continues to be one of the most serious health problems in the world, leading to death and disability. Unlike in previous years, where new cases of cancer were predominant in developed nations, the number of cases of cancer and the resultant deaths are increasing in low- and middle-income countries. This is partially attributable to the current trend of adopting a Western lifestyle, substantial urbanization, and the rise in infections, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), which together account for over 30% of cancer cases in underdeveloped and developing nations. The deleterious impact of cancer, as cases multiply worldwide, is multi-dimensional. Cancer exerts serious physical, psychological, and monetary burdens, not only on cancer patients but also on their family members, close friends, health care systems, and society at large. Importantly, over half of all cancer types can be prevented globally by mitigating the risk and causative factors as well as prompt adherence to scientifically recommended prevention measures. This review provides various scientifically based and people-centered strategies that every individual could adopt to reduce their risk of developing cancer in the future. It is recommended that, for these cancer prevention strategies to be effective, there should be a strong political will from the governments of individual countries to enact specific laws and implement policies that will significantly reduce sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy eating among the general public. Likewise, HPV and HBV vaccines, as well as cancer screenings, should be made available, affordable, and accessible on a timely basis for those who are eligible to take them. Finally, intensified campaigns and numerous informative and educational programs that promote cancer prevention should be initiated globally.

Citations

• Vegan Diet: A Novel Trend in Healthy Living
  Gaithaongamliu Kamei, Prasad Rasane, Jyoti Singh, Sawinder Kaur, Mahendra Gunjal, Jaspreet Kaur, Raghav Gupta, Dipendra Kumar Mahato, Sushma Gurumayum, Sunil Kumar Dwivedi
  Current Nutrition & Food Science.2024; 20(8): 952.     CrossRef
• Rising potentials of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) loaded lipid-based delivery platforms for breast cancer
  Sagnik Nag, Adrija Bhunia, Sourav Mohanto, Mohammed Gulzar Ahmed, Vetriselvan Subramaniyan
  Discover Applied Sciences.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Exploring the Role of Artificial Light and Tanning for Skin Cancer
  Muhammad Majid, Abdul Qayoom, Ali Haider
  Indus Journal of Bioscience Research.2024; 2(2): 1506.     CrossRef
• Exploring the Role of Artificial Light and Tanning for Skin Cancer
  Muhammad Majid, Abdul Qayoom, Ali Haider
  Indus Journal of Bioscience Research.2024; 2(2): 1584.     CrossRef
• Application of Machine Learning and Deep Learning Models in Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Using Medical Images: A Systematic Review
  Olusola Olabanjo, Ashiribo Wusu, Mauton Asokere, Oseni Afisi, Basheerat Okugbesan, Olufemi Olabanjo, Olusegun Folorunso, Manuel Mazzara
  Analytics.2023; 2(3): 708.     CrossRef