Journal of Korean medical science
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Nov 2015
Is Radical Perineal Prostatectomy a Viable Therapeutic Option for Intermediate- and High-risk Prostate Cancer?
The aim of this study was to investigate a single-institution experience with radical perineal prostatectomy (RPP), radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) and minimally invasive radical prostatectomy (MIRP) with respect to onco-surgical outcomes in patients with intermediate-risk (IR; PSA 10-20 ng/mL, biopsy Gleason score bGS 7 or cT2b-2c) and high-risk (HR; PSA > 20 ng/mL, bGS ≥ 8, or ≥ cT3) prostate cancer (PCa). We retrospectively reviewed data from 2,581 men who underwent radical prostatectomy for IR and HR PCa (RPP, n = 689; RRP, n = 402; MIRP, n = 1,490 [laparoscopic, n = 206; robot-assisted laparoscopic, n = 1,284]). The proportion of HR PCa was 40.3%, 46.8%, and 49.5% in RPP, RRP, and MIRP (P < 0.001), respectively. ⋯ RPP, P = 0.26; RPP vs. MIRP, P = 0.06). RPP achieved acceptable oncological control for IR and HR PCa.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Nov 2015
ReviewWho Neglects Neglected Tropical Diseases? - Korean Perspective.
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of tropical infectious diseases of poorest people. Of 17 NTDs managed by WHO, two, guinea worm disease (by 2015) and yaws (by 2020) are targeted for eradication, and four (blinding trachoma, human African trypanosomiasis, leprosy, and lymphatic filariasis) for elimination by 2020. The goals look promising but 11 others are still highly prevalent. ⋯ After the millennium development goals declared disease control over the world, NTDs are becoming less neglected globally. Even with limited resources, beginning a sustainable national program is the key for the control and elimination of NTDs. No more neglect, especially no more self-neglect, can eliminate diseases and upgrade quality of life of the neglected people.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Nov 2015
Factor Configurations with Governance as Conditions for Low HIV/AIDS Prevalence in HIV/AIDS Recipient Countries: Fuzzy-set Analysis.
This paper aims to investigate whether good governance of a recipient country is a necessary condition and what combinations of factors including governance factor are sufficient for low prevalence of HIV/AIDS in HIV/AIDS aid recipient countries during the period of 2002-2010. For this, Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) was used. Nine potential attributes for a causal configuration for low HIV/AIDS prevalence were identified through a review of previous studies. ⋯ The low level of governance can lead to low level of HIV/AIDS prevalence when it is combined with other favorable factors, especially, low economic inequality, high economic development and high health expenditure. However, strengthening governance is a more practical measure to keep low prevalence of HIV/AIDS because it is hard to achieve both economic development and economic quality. This study highlights that a comprehensive policy measure is the key for achieving low prevalence of HIV/AIDS in recipient country.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Nov 2015
Patterns of Health Expenditures and Financial Protections in Vietnam 1992-2012.
Health financing has been considered as an important building block of a health system and has a key role in promoting universal health coverage in the Vietnam. This paper aims to describe the pattern of health expenditure, including total health expenditure and composition of health expenditure, over the last two decades in Vietnam. The paper mainly uses the data from Vietnam National Health Account and Vietnam Living Standards Survey. ⋯ As a result, the proportion of households with catastrophic expenditure in 2012 was 4.2%. The rate of impoverishment in 2012 was 2.5%. To ensure equity and efficient goal of health system, policy actions for containing the health care out-of-pocket payments and their poverty impacts are urgently needed in Vietnam.
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Critical (or intensive) care medicine (CCM) is a branch of medicine concerned with the care of patients with potentially reversible life-threatening conditions. Numerous studies have demonstrated that adequate staffing is of crucial importance for patient outcome. Adequate staffing also showed favorable cost-effectiveness in terms of ICU stay, decreased use of resources, and lower re-admission rates. ⋯ The global pandemic episodes in the past decade showed that our society is not well prepared for severe illnesses or mass casualty. To improve CCM in Korea, reimbursement of the government must be amended such that referral hospitals can hire sufficient number of qualified intensivists and nurses. For the government to address these urgent issues, public awareness of the role of CCM is also required.