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Objective: We assessed the measurement equivalence and feasibility of the paper-and-pencil and touch-screen modes of administration of the Taiwan Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-PR25, a commonly used questionnaire to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with prostate cancer in Taiwan., Methods: A cross-over design study was conducted in 99 prostate cancer patients at an urology outpatient clinic. Descriptive exact and global agreement percentages, intraclass correlation, and equivalence test based on minimal clinically important difference (MCID) approach were used to examine the equity of HRQOL scores between these two modes of administration. We also evaluated the feasibility of computerized assessment based on patients' acceptability and preference. Additionally, we used Rasch rating scale model to assess differential item functioning (DIF) between the two modes of administration., Results: The percentages of global agreement in all domains were greater than 85% in the EORTC QLQ-PR25. All results from equivalence tests were significant, except for Sexual functioning, indicating good equivalence. Only one item exhibited DIF between the two modes. Although nearly 80% of the study patients had no prior computer-use experience, the overall proportion of acceptance and preference for the touch-screen mode were quite high and there was no significant difference across age groups or between computer-use experience groups., Conclusions: The study results showed that the data obtained from the modes of administration were equivalent. The touch-screen mode of administration can be a feasible and suitable alternative to the paper-and-pencil mode for assessment of patient-reported outcomes in patients with prostate cancer.

Objective We assessed the measurement equivalence and feasibility of the paper-and-pencil and touchscreen modes of administration of the Taiwan Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-PR25, a commonly used questionnaire to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with prostate cancer in Taiwan. Methods A cross-over design study was conducted in 99 prostate cancer patients at an urology outpatient clinic. Descriptive exact and global agreement percentages, intraclass correlation, and equivalence test based on minimal clinically important difference (MCID) approach were used to examine the equity of HRQOL scores between these two modes of administration. We also evaluated the feasibility of computerized assessment based on patients' acceptability and preference. Additionally, we used Rasch rating scale model to assess differential item functioning (DIF) between the two modes of administration. Results The percentages of global agreement in all domains were greater than 85% in the EORTC QLQ-PR25. All results from equivalence tests were significant, except for Sexual functioning, indicating good equivalence. Only one item exhibited DIF between the two modes. Although nearly 80% of the study patients had no prior computer-use experience, the overall proportion of acceptance and preference for the touch-screen mode were quite high and there was no significant difference across age groups or between computer-use experience groups. Conclusions The study results showed that the data obtained from the modes of administration were equivalent. The touch-screen mode of administration can be a feasible and suitable alternative to the paper-and-pencil mode for assessment of patient-reported outcomes in patients with prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A rigorous faculty appointment and promotion (FAP) system is vital for the success of any academic institution. However, studies examining the FAP system in Asian universities are lacking. We surveyed the FAP policies of Taiwan's medical schools and identified an overreliance on the CJA score (manuscript Category, Journal quality, and Author order). The potential shortcomings of this metric and recommendations for refinement were discussed. Methods: We obtained the FAP documents from all 12 medical schools in Taiwan, and analyzed their use of traditional versus non-traditional criteria for FAP according to a published methodology. The influence of the journal impact factor (JIF) on the FAP process was quantified by comparing its relative weight between papers with two extreme JIFs. To better understand the research impact and international standing of each school, we utilized the public bibliographic database to rank universities by the number of papers, and the proportions of papers within the top 10% or 50% citation. Results: Compared with other countries, Taiwan's medical schools focus more on the quantifiable quality of the research, mostly using a "CJA" score that integrates the category, JIF or ranking, and authorship of a paper, with the JIF being the most influential factor. The CJA score for an article with a JIF of 20 can be up to three times the threshold for promotion to Assistant Professor. The emphasis on JIF is based on a presumed correlation between JIF and citation counts. However, our analysis shows that Taiwan's medical schools have lower-than-average citation counts despite a competitive rank in the number of publications. Conclusions: The JIF plays an unrivaled role in determining the outcome of FAP in Taiwan's medical schools, mostly via the CJA system. The questionable effectiveness of the current system in elevating the international standing of Taiwan's higher-education institutions calls for a re-examination of the FAP system. We recommend a reduction in the relative importance of CJA score in the FAP system, adopting more rigorous metrics such as the h-index for evaluating research quality, and supporting more research aimed at improving the FAP system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Syndromic surveillance provides public health intelligence to aid in early warning and monitoring of public health impacts (e.g. seasonal influenza), or reassurance when an impact has not occurred. Using information collected during routine patient care, syndromic surveillance can be based on signs/symptoms/preliminary diagnoses. This approach makes syndromic surveillance much timelier than surveillance requiring laboratory confirmed diagnoses. The provision of healthcare services and patient access to them varies globally. However, emergency departments (EDs) exist worldwide, providing unscheduled urgent care to people in acute need. This provision of care makes ED syndromic surveillance (EDSyS) a potentially valuable tool for public health surveillance internationally. The objective of this study was to identify and describe the key characteristics of EDSyS systems that have been established and used globally.Methods: We systematically reviewed studies published in peer review journals and presented at International Society of Infectious Disease Surveillance conferences (up to and including 2017) to identify EDSyS systems which have been created and used for public health purposes. Search criteria developed to identify "emergency department" and "syndromic surveillance" were applied to NICE healthcare, Global Health and Scopus databases.Results: In total, 559 studies were identified as eligible for inclusion in the review, comprising 136 journal articles and 423 conference abstracts/papers. From these studies we identified 115 EDSyS systems in 15 different countries/territories across North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. Systems ranged from local surveillance based on a single ED, to comprehensive national systems. National EDSyS systems were identified in 8 countries/territories: 2 reported inclusion of ≥85% of ED visits nationally (France and Taiwan).Conclusions: EDSyS provides a valuable tool for the identification and monitoring of trends in severe illness. Technological advances, particularly in the emergency care patient record, have enabled the evolution of EDSyS over time. EDSyS reporting has become closer to 'real-time', with automated, secure electronic extraction and analysis possible on a daily, or more frequent basis. The dissemination of methods employed and evidence of successful application to public health practice should be encouraged to support learning from best practice, enabling future improvement, harmonisation and collaboration between systems in future.Prospero Number: CRD42017069150 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study investigates the impact of healthcare consumers' involvement, price perception, and attitude toward National Health Insurance (NHI) copayment adjustments on their healthcare-seeking behavior, focusing on the mediating role of health facility identification. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted among outpatient customers in Taiwan from October 2023 to March 2024, resulting in 746 valid responses. The survey included demographic variables, involvement, price perception, attitude, health facility identification, and healthcare-seeking behavior. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis with SPSS 20.0. Results: The study found that involvement, price perception, and attitude significantly influence healthcare-seeking behavior. Health facility identification was identified as a significant mediator in the relationship between copayment perception and healthcare-seeking behavior. The regression analysis also highlighted the impact of demographic factors such as age, education level, marital status, and annual income on healthcare-seeking behavior. The path model illustrated the complex interplay between perceptual factors and their influence on healthcare-seeking behavior. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of consumer involvement, price perception, and attitude in shaping healthcare utilization patterns. Health facility identification plays a crucial mediating role, suggesting that stronger patient-provider relationships can mitigate potential negative impacts of copayment adjustments. Policymakers and healthcare providers should enhance patient engagement, foster strong patient-facility identification, and provide targeted support for vulnerable groups to ensure equitable access to healthcare services despite copayment changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2009, health authorities from Taiwan (under the name "Chinese Taipei")a formally attended the 62nd World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization as observers, marking the country's participation for the first time since 1972. The long process of negotiating this breakthrough has been cited as an example of successful global health diplomacy. This paper analyses this negotiation process, drawing on government documents, formal representations from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and key informant interviews. The actors and their motivations, along with the forums, practices and outcomes of the negotiation process, are detailed. While it is argued that non-traditional diplomatic action was important in establishing the case for Taiwan's inclusion at the WHA, traditional concerns regarding Taiwanese sovereignty and diplomatic representation ultimately played a decisive role. The persistent influence of these traditional diplomatic questions illustrates the limits of global health diplomacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interdisciplinary collaboration is known to foster professional innovation and enhance student learning across different domains. However, the research on the effectiveness of integration of interdisciplinary learning in pediatric nursing education is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of integrating game-based learning, an interdisciplinary approach to teaching, into pediatric nursing education's play courses. Methods: We used a mixed methods study with pre-test/post-test quantitative analyses and a descriptive qualitative analysis of students' reflection journals. Data were collected between August 2019 and July 2020 to gauge course effectiveness. Quantitative data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using a t-test, correlation, and regression analysis. Qualitative data using students' reflective journals were collected and analyzed using content analysis. One hundred and three second-year nursing students enrolled in a four-year nursing program. Nursing students attended classes in university classrooms and served learning in a kindergarten or hospital in Northern Taiwan. Results: The subscales of Students' Learning Outcome in knowledge, abilities, and attitudes showed significantly higher mean post-test scores compared to pre-test scores: 26.15 (SD = 3.35) vs. 16.82 (SD = 4.49), p <.001; 18.03 (SD = 2.13) vs. 11.43 (SD = 2.95), p <.001; and 12.90 (SD = 2.12) vs. 8.72 (SD = 2.52), p <.001. Furthermore, scores on the Service-Learning Abilities Scale indicated a significant increase in communication, problem-solving, knowledge application, and cross-cultural competence. Integrating instruction to improve problem-solving skills and knowledge application predicts student learning outcomes. Qualitative findings revealed nursing students' reflections on integrating different learning areas, communication, problem-solving, and practical knowledge skills. Conclusions: Integration of interdisciplinary learning effectively stimulates learning among nursing students and enhances their knowledge, abilities, and attitudes toward therapeutic play, benefiting children's health. Our findings demonstrate that integration of interdisciplinary learning significantly enhances nursing students' healthcare-giving competence, particularly in communication, problem-solving, knowledge application, and cross-cultural competence as measured by the Service-Learning Scale. Integrating social service with integration of interdisciplinary learning exposes nursing students to diverse challenges and needs, thereby enhancing their communication skills, knowledge application, and problem-solving abilities. Nursing students can blend knowledge and skills through integrated learning, which is crucial for nursing career preparation. Trial registration: N/A. It was a survey on educational activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the increasing complexity of illnesses and rapid pace of technological advancements in professional training, it is vital to offer nurses ample opportunities to hone their clinical expertise and skills, particularly in ensuring the delivery of premier medical care. This study aimed to determine the factors and predictors influencing nurses' satisfaction with adopting mobile learning approaches in intensive care unit healthcare settings. Additionally, it sought to investigate the applicability of the technology acceptance model in explaining their inclinations and validating the measurement scales employed in the research. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional survey research design, utilizing a technology acceptance questionnaire and a learning satisfaction questionnaire. The survey was conducted in six intensive care unit departments. A total of 212 participants completed the survey as the primary instrument. Rigorous assessments were conducted to establish the content validity and ensure instrument reliability. Results: The findings demonstrated that perceived usefulness was the most influential factor affecting nurses' intentions to embrace mobile learning approaches, with perceived ease of use emerging as the principal determinant of perceived usefulness. Conclusions: Incorporating mobile learning methodologies is paramount to increasing the calibration of professional nursing education programs. By effectively integrating digital information technology and tools, nursing educators can overcome teaching challenges, deliver innovative clinical nursing education content through mobile learning approaches, and foster optimal development in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Psychosocial factors affect individuals' desire for physical activity. A newly developed instrument (Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport; TAPAS) has been designed to assess the avoidance of physical activity. Considering cultural differences could be decisive factors, the present study aimed to translate and validate the TAPAS into Chinese (Mandarin) for Taiwanese youths, and further cultural comparisons are expected. Methods: Standard translation procedure (i.e., forward translation, back translation, and reconciliation) was used to translate the English TAPAS into the Chinese TAPAS. Following translation, 608 youths (mean [SD] age 29.10 [6.36] years; 333 [54.8%] women) participated in the study via a snowballing sampling method with an online survey. All participants completed the Chinese TAPAS and additional instruments assessing weight stigma and psychological distress. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the factor structure of the Chinese TAPAS and multigroup CFA to examine measurement invariance across gender (men vs. women) and weight status (overweight vs. non-overweight). Pearson correlations were used to examine the concurrent validity; independent t-tests between gender groups and weight status groups were used to examine the known-group validity. Results: Consistent with the English version, the Chinese TAPAS was found to have a one-factor structure evidenced by CFA results. The structure was invariant across gender and weight status groups evidenced by multigroup CFA results. Concurrent validity was supported by significant associations with the related constructs assessed (r = 0.326 to 0.676; p < 0.001). Known-group validity was supported by the significant differences in TAPAS total scores between gender and weight status groups (p = 0.004 and < 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.24 and 0.48). Conclusion: The Chinese version of the TAPAS is a valid and reliable instrument assessing individuals' avoidance of physical activity and sports due to underlying psychosocial issues among Taiwanese youths. It is anticipated to be applied within a large Asian population, as well as cross-cultural comparisons, for further explorations in health, behavioral and epidemiological research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human flourishing is an emerging concept, extending beyond the conventional boundaries of subjective well-being and evolving into a comprehensive capture of the diverse dimensions of human life within complex societal structures. Therefore, moving away from traditional approaches centered on the single latent construct, this study aims to explore the multiple aspects of human flourishing and the intricate interplay of their contributing factors. Methods: Data were collected from the Health and Living Environments Survey of Taiwanese Retirees during 2023 (valid sample n = 1,111). Human flourishing was measured using the Secure Flourish Index developed by Harvard University, which includes 12 indicators: (1) life satisfaction, (2) happiness, (3) mental health, (4) physical health, (5) meaning in life, (6) sense of purpose, (7) promoting good, (8) delaying gratification, (9) content relationships, (10) satisfying relationships, (11) financial stability, and (12) material stability. A mixed graphical network analysis was employed to analyze the related determinants, divided into four groups: (a) sociodemographic factors, (b) physical functions and health status, (c) social and family engagement, and (d) community environmental characteristics as nodes. Results: We analyzed 31 variables and identified 133 nonzero edges out of 465 potential connections in the comprehensive network. Results showed that happiness and promoting good were the two most critical indicators influencing retirees' overall flourishing. Different flourishing indicators were also associated with various influential factors. For instance, personal characteristics, especially gender and education, emerged as central factors. Family caregiving negatively affected happiness and financial stability, whereas social engagement was positively associated with life satisfaction and meaning in life. Employment status had mixed effects, negatively associated with life satisfaction but positively associated with mental health. Community environments, such as a sense of community and neighborhood safety, generally enhanced flourishing. However, the accessibility of neighborhood resources was paradoxically associated with material stability, pointing to the complexity of environmental factors in human flourishing. Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive network analysis that reveals intricate connections between personal, behavioral, and environmental factors, offering profound insights for targeted interventions to foster human flourishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Taiwan, residents with and without dementia mostly co-live in long-term care facilities. The behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia residents often pose challenges for others living together. This study explored the symbiotic experiences of residents without dementia co-living with those with dementia in long-term care facilities in Taiwan to present their experiences of living together. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study with a phenomenological design. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 30 residents without dementia from three long-term care institutions in Taiwan. Colaizzi's data processing steps were used for analysis. Results: The analysis of interview transcripts revealed that the experiences of residents who lived with those with dementia were that of a "symbiosis." Three core themes were found: "the impact of co-living," "facing difficulties and coping," and "companionship and reciprocity." This study showed that residents without dementia may be affected by the behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of residents with dementia when co-living in long-term care facilities. However, there are also positive and mutually beneficial interactions between them. By helping people with dementia in their daily lives, residents without dementia feel happy and accomplished and their self-worth is enhanced. Furthermore, residents with dementia have more opportunities for social engagement and co-living interactions. Conclusion: These results can guide long-term care facilities without special care dementia units to support residents without dementia, reduce the interference of the behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of residents with dementia, and promote mutual benefits. However, these findings warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This survey study investigated the types of sources other than medical professionals (e.g., social media) that the caregivers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) use to acquire knowledge about ADHD and investigated the association between the use of such information sources and caregiver parenting stress and anxiety in Taiwan. Methods: A total of 213 caregivers of children with ADHD participated in this study. The sources that the caregivers used to acquire knowledge about ADHD other than medical professionals were investigated. Caregiver parenting stress was assessed using the Parenting Stress Index, and caregiver anxiety was assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory. The associations of the types of sources used and total number of source use with caregiver parenting stress and anxiety were investigated using multivariate linear regression analysis. Results: The most common source of knowledge other than medical professionals was teachers (55.4%), followed by social media (52.6%), traditional media (50.7%), friends (33.8%), caregivers of other children (21.1%), and family members (18.3%). The caregivers' mean total number of using sources of knowledge about ADHD other than medical professionals was 2.32. Acquiring knowledge about ADHD from social media was significantly associated with caregiver parenting stress. Additionally, acquiring knowledge about ADHD from caregivers of other children was significantly associated with caregiver parenting stress and anxiety, as was the frequency of using sources of knowledge about ADHD other than medical professionals. Conclusion: The caregivers of children with ADHD acquired knowledge about ADHD from multiple sources. Acquiring knowledge about ADHD from social media was significantly associated with caregiver parenting stress. The number of sources of knowledge about ADHD was significantly associated with caregiver parenting stress and anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Our objective was to create a machine learning architecture capable of identifying obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patterns in single-lead electrocardiography (ECG) signals, exhibiting exceptional performance when utilized in clinical data sets. Methods: We conducted our research using a data set consisting of 1656 patients, representing a diverse demographic, from the sleep center of China Medical University Hospital. To detect apnea ECG segments and extract apnea features, we utilized the EfficientNet and some of its layers, respectively. Furthermore, we compared various training and data preprocessing techniques to enhance the model's prediction, such as setting class and sample weights or employing overlapping and regular slicing. Finally, we tested our approach against other literature on the Apnea-ECG database. Results: Our research found that the EfficientNet model achieved the best apnea segment detection using overlapping slicing and sample-weight settings, with an AUC of 0.917 and an accuracy of 0.855. For patient screening with AHI > 30, we combined the trained model with XGBoost, leading to an AUC of 0.975 and an accuracy of 0.928. Additional tests using PhysioNet data showed that our model is comparable in performance to existing models regarding its ability to screen OSA levels. Conclusions: Our suggested architecture, coupled with training and preprocessing techniques, showed admirable performance with a diverse demographic dataset, bringing us closer to practical implementation in OSA diagnosis. Trial registration The data for this study were collected retrospectively from the China Medical University Hospital in Taiwan with approval from the institutional review board CMUH109-REC3-018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Getting lost with family members who have dementia is a significant source of stress for family caregivers. In Taiwan, family caregivers develop strategies to deal with dementia persons who may get lost. This study aimed to explore the experiences of family caregivers caring for persons with dementia who have been lost outside the home. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological method was used. The COREQ checklist was used to ensure the explicit reporting of data. A total of 20 family caregivers caring for persons with dementia who were lost outside their homes were selected from hospital outpatient clinics and a day care center in northern Taiwan using purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using the Giorgi analysis method. Results: Five main themes emerged: (i) surprised persons with dementia lost outside, (ii) using strategies to prevent persons with dementia from getting lost, (iii) using strategies to find lost persons with dementia, (iv) exhaustion in long-term care persons with dementia, and (v) coping with the care load. It was found that family caregivers were surprised, nervous, and worried about persons with dementia being lost outside. They used the first strategy to supervise persons with dementia to prevent external losses. In addition, long-term supervision of persons with dementia led to mental exhaustion in the family caregivers. Finally, the family caregivers learned about loss prevention strategies and obtained family support and care replacement workers to reduce the care burden. Conclusions: It is essential to teach family caregivers early to prevent persons with dementia from losing external strategies. Nurses also provide long-term care services to reduce the care burden on family caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The literature for assessing online and offline shopping behaviours that are linked to intelligent robotic goods and services is inadequate. In this study, we applied the Theory of Planned Behaviour model for guidance regarding how consumer behaviour affects their purchase intentions for intelligent robotic goods and services. Methods: Data from 408 respondents were gathered through an online questionnaire binned into Online and Overall Shoppers, and analysed using SPSS, AMOS, and Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modelling software to evaluate the appropriateness of the measurements and to confirm data reliability, convergence, divergence, and validity. These tools were also used to track and test hypothesized relationships between the variables and model constructs used in this study. Results and conclusions: The overarching outcomes from the data analyses indicated the Ease of Usage, Brand Perception, and Product Pricing variables causally impacted the TPB model constructs, namely Attitude, Subjective Norms, and Perceived Behaviour Control for the two populations tested with respect to their intention to purchase intelligent robotic goods and services. The reliability measurements for Ease of Usage, Brand Perception, and Product Pricing are discussed. The results are important for companies and future investors because opportunities to study the complex relationships that ultimately drive consumer behaviour and their intention to purchase intelligent robotic goods and services are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is a genetic disease caused by the deficiency of a-L-iduronidase (IDUA) activity. MPS I is classified into three clinical phenotypes called Hurler, Scheie, and Hurler-Scheie syndromes according to their clinical severity. Treatments for MPS I are available. Better outcomes are associated with early treatment, which suggests a need for newborn screening for MPS I. The goal of this study was to determine whether measuring IDUA activity in dried blood on filter paper was effective in newborn screening for MPS I. Methods: We conducted a newborn screening pilot program for MPS I from October 01, 2008 to April 30, 2013. Screening involved measuring IDUA activity in dried blood spots from 35,285 newborns using a fluorometric assay. Results: Of the 35,285 newborns screened, 19 did not pass the tests and had been noticed for a recall examination. After completing further recheck process, 3 were recalled again for leukocyte IDUA enzyme activity testing. Two of the three had deficient leukocyte IDUA activity. Molecular DNA analyses confirmed the diagnosis of MPS I in these two newborns. Conclusions: It is feasible to use the IDUA enzyme assay for newborn screening. The incidence of MPS I in Taiwan estimated from this study is about 1/17,643. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Internet social networking tools and the emerging web 2.0 technologies are providing a new way for web users and health workers in information sharing and knowledge dissemination. Based on the characters of immediate, two-way and large scale of impact, the internet social networking tools have been utilized as a solution in emergency response during disasters. This paper highlights the use of internet social networking in disaster emergency response and public health management of disasters by focusing on a case study of the typhoon Morakot disaster in Taiwan. Discussion: In the case of typhoon disaster in Taiwan, internet social networking and mobile technology were found to be helpful for community residents, professional emergency rescuers, and government agencies in gathering and disseminating real-time information, regarding volunteer recruitment and relief supplies allocation. We noted that if internet tools are to be integrated in the development of emergency response system, the accessibility, accuracy, validity, feasibility, privacy and the scalability of itself should be carefully considered especially in the effort of applying it in resource poor settings. Summary: This paper seeks to promote an internet-based emergency response system by integrating internet social networking and information communication technology into central government disaster management system. Web-based networking provides two-way communication which establishes a reliable and accessible tunnel for proximal and distal users in disaster preparedness and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2008 annual conference of the Asia Pacific Bioinformatics Network (APBioNet), Asia's oldest bioinformatics organisation set up in 1998, was organized as the 7th International Conference on Bioinformatics (InCoB), jointly with the Bioinformatics and Systems Biology in Taiwan (BIT 2008) Conference, Oct. 20-23, 2008 at Taipei, Taiwan. Besides bringing together scientists from the field of bioinformatics in this region, InCoB is actively involving researchers from the area of systems biology, to facilitate greater synergy between these two groups. Marking the 10th Anniversary of APBioNet, this InCoB 2008 meeting followed on from a series of successful annual events in Bangkok (Thailand), Penang (Malaysia), Auckland (New Zealand), Busan (South Korea), New Delhi (India) and Hong Kong. Additionally, tutorials and the Workshop on Education in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (WEBCB) immediately prior to the 20th Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB) Taipei Conference provided ample opportunity for inducting mainstream biochemists and molecular biologists from the region into a greater level of awareness of the importance of bioinformatics in their craft. In this editorial, we provide a brief overview of the peer-reviewed manuscripts accepted for publication herein, grouped into thematic areas. As the regional research expertise in bioinformatics matures, the papers fall into thematic areas, illustrating the specific contributions made by APBioNet to global bioinformatics efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The proportion of hospital deaths has declined in the past few decades, while the proportions of nursing home deaths have increased. This trend of increasing deaths in long-term care facilities underlines the importance of improving end-of-life care provisions in these settings to meet individual preferences and needs. Under these circumstances, a comprehensive understanding of end-of-life care preferences in local nursing home residents can help healthcare professionals and policymakers develop strategies to increase the advance directive completion rate and quality of care. This study aimed to explore and compare advance directive and end-of-life care preferences of nursing home residents in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Methods: A structured questionnaire was developed by the research team to investigate advance directive and end-of-life care preferences in older Chinese nursing home residents. Nursing home residents with frail or pre-frail status and over the age of 64 were invited to participate in the study, and information on demographics, functional status, advance directive experiences, and end-of-life care expectations was collected through questionnaire interviews. Results: A total of 325 eligible participants from 32 facilities completed the survey, including 238 older residents in Hong Kong and 87 in Taiwan. A significantly lower proportion of the Hong Kong residents had completed an advance directive compared with the Taiwanese (3 vs. 13%, p = 0.001). Among participants who did not have an advance directive, 46% of the Taiwanese participants said they would consider completing one in the future, compared with 20% of the Hong Kong participants (p < 0.001). A total of 79% of the Hong Kong participants and 80% of the Taiwanese participants responded that prolonging life in the given hypothetical dying scenario was "not important" (p = 0.76). Only 14% of participants in Hong Kong and 18% of participants in Taiwan reported prior occurrence of end-of-life care discussions with family members or health professionals (p = 0.37). Conclusions: This paper adds evidence in support of improving end-of-life communication and the advance directive completion rate in nursing homes in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Further research is necessary to explore cross-cultural differences in end-of-life preferences and its applications in predicting decision-making and the quality of end-of-life care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Establishing a nurturing bond with the unborn child is essential for expectant mothers throughout pregnancy. While the influence of family support and pregnancy adaptation on maternal-fetal bonding is evident, these factors remain unexplored in the early stages of pregnancy. This study aims to elucidate the dynamic interaction between family support, pregnancy adaptation, and maternal-fetal bonding during the first trimester, explicitly investigating the mediating role of pregnancy adaptation. Method: A cross-sectional design was conducted to recruit expectant mothers between 8 and 12 weeks of gestation without significant complications. Results: Family support and pregnancy adaptation emerged as significant predictors of maternal-fetal bonding, and pregnancy adaptation mediated the relationship between family support and maternal-fetal bonding in the first trimester. Conclusions: The study confirms the critical role of family support and pregnancy adaptation in facilitating maternal-fetal bonding during early pregnancy, with pregnancy adaptation fully mediating this relationship. Healthcare providers are encouraged to involve family members in early interventions, focusing on assessing family support and engaging them in education and activities to strengthen the emotional bond between the mother and her unborn child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical records are a valuable source for understanding patient health conditions. Doctors often use these records to assess health without solely depending on time-consuming and complex examinations. However, these records may not always be directly relevant to a patient's current health issue. For instance, information about common colds may not be relevant to a more specific health condition. While experienced doctors can effectively navigate through unnecessary details in medical records, this excess information presents a challenge for machine learning models in predicting diseases electronically. To address this, we have developed 'al-BERT', a new disease prediction model that leverages the BERT framework. This model is designed to identify crucial information from medical records and use it to predict diseases. 'al-BERT' operates on the principle that the structure of sentences in diagnostic records is similar to regular linguistic patterns. However, just as stuttering in speech can introduce 'noise' or irrelevant information, similar issues can arise in written records, complicating model training. To overcome this, 'al-BERT' incorporates a semi-supervised layer that filters out irrelevant data from patient visitation records. This process aims to refine the data, resulting in more reliable indicators for disease correlations and enhancing the model's predictive accuracy and utility in medical diagnostics. Method: To discern noise diseases within patient records, especially those resembling influenza-like illnesses, our approach employs a customized semi-supervised learning algorithm equipped with a focused attention mechanism. This mechanism is specifically calibrated to enhance the model's sensitivity to chronic conditions while concurrently distilling salient features from patient records, thereby augmenting the predictive accuracy and utility of the model in clinical settings. We evaluate the performance of al-BERT using real-world health insurance data provided by Taiwan's National Health Insurance. Result: In our study, we evaluated our model against two others: one based on BERT that uses complete disease records, and another variant that includes extra filtering techniques. Our findings show that models incorporating filtering mechanisms typically perform better than those using the entire, unfiltered dataset. Our approach resulted in improved outcomes across several key measures: AUC-ROC (an indicator of a model's ability to distinguish between classes), precision (the accuracy of positive predictions), recall (the model's ability to find all relevant cases), and overall accuracy. Most notably, our model showed a 15% improvement in recall compared to the current best-performing method in the field of disease prediction. Conclusion: The conducted ablation study affirms the advantages of our attention mechanism and underscores the crucial role of the selection module within al-BERT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-insulin-based insulin resistance (NI-IR) indices have been reported to have an association with prevalent hypertension, however, no cohort studies to date have compared their prediction of hypertension among young adults. Methods: A total of 2,448 military men and women, aged 18–39 years, without baseline hypertension in Taiwan were followed for incident hypertension events from 2014 until the end of 2020. All subjects underwent annual health examinations including measurements of blood pressure (BP) in mmHg. Systolic BP (SBP) 130–139/diastolic BP (DBP) < 80, SBP < 130/DBP 80–89, and SBP 130–139/DBP 80–89 were respectively defined as stage I isolated systolic hypertension (ISH), isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH) and combined hypertension (CH). The cut-off levels of stage II hypertension for SBP and DBP were 140–159 and 90–99, respectively. Four NI-IR indices included the ratio of serum triglycerides (TG) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), TyG index defined as ln[TG* fasting glucose (FG)/2], Metabolic Score for IR (METS-IR) defined as ln[(2* FG) + TG)* body mass index (BMI)/(ln(HDL-C))], and ZJU index defined as BMI + FG + TG + 3* alanine transaminase/aspartate transaminase (+ 2 if female). Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed with adjustments for baseline age, sex, body mass index, BP, substance use, family history for early onset cardiovascular diseases or hypertension, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, kidney function, serum uric acid and physical activity to determine the associations. Results: During a median follow-up of 6.0 years, there were 920 hypertension events (37.6%). Greater TyG, TG/HDL-C and METS-IR indices were associated with a higher risk of stage I IDH (hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals: 1.376 (1.123–1.687), 1.082 (1.039–1.127) and 3.455 (1.921–6.214), respectively), whereas only greater ZJU index was associated with a higher risk of stage II IDH [HRs: 1.011 (1.001–1.021)]. In addition, greater ZJU index was associated with a higher risk of stage II ISH [HR: 1.013 (1.003–1.023)], and greater TyG index was associated with a higher risk of stage II CH [HR: 2.821 (1.244–6.395)]. Conclusion: Insulin resistance assessed by various NI-IR indices was associated with a higher risk of hypertension in young adults, while the assessment ability for specific hypertension category may differ by NI-IR indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To determine the effect of colchicine on cancer risk in patients with the immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs)-related to colchicine use. Methods: This is a time-dependent propensity-matched general population study based on the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. We identified the IMIDs patients (n = 111,644) newly diagnosed between 2000 and 2012 based on the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM)—274,712, 135, 136.1, 279.49, 518.3, 287.0, 696.0, 696.1, 696.8, 420, 429.4, 710.0, 710.1, 710.3, 710.4, 714.0, 720, 55.0, 55.1, 55.9, 556. Inclusion criteria: aged ≧ 20 years, if a patient had at least these disease diagnosis requirements within 1 year of follow-up, and, these patients had at least two outpatient visits or an inpatient visit. After propensity-matched according to age, sex, comorbidities, medications and index date, the IMIDs patients enter into colchicine users (N = 16,026) and colchicine nonusers (N = 16,026). Furthermore, time-dependent Cox models were used to analyze cancer risk in propensity-matched colchicine users compared with the nonusers. The cumulative cancer incidence was analyzed using Cox proportional regression analysis. We calculated adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for cancer after adjusting for sex, age, comorbidities, and use of medicine including acetylcysteine, medication for smoking cessation such as nicotine replacement medicines (the nicotine patch) and pill medicines (varenicline), anti-inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressant drugs. Results: Comparing the colchicine nonusers, all cancer risk were mildly attenuated, the (aHR (95% CI)) of all cancer is (0.84 (0.55, 0.99)). Meanwhile, the colchicine users were associated with the lower incidence of the colorectal cancer, the (aHRs (95% CI)) is (0.22 (0.19, 0.89)). Those aged < 65 years and male/female having the colchicine users were associated with lower risk the colorectal cancer also. Moreover, the colchicine > 20 days use with the lower aHR for colorectal cancer. Conclusion: Colchicine was associated with the lower aHR of the all cancer and colorectal cancer formation in patients with the IMIDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ritodrine hydrochloride is a widely used beta-adrenergic agonist used to stop preterm labor in Taiwan. Many side effects causing maternal morbidity and mortality have been reported. We report a case complicated with ritodrine-induced side effects and mirror syndrome that was associated with placental chorioangioma. Case presentation: A 36-year-old singleton pregnant woman at 25 6/7 weeks of gestation, with an undiagnosed placental chorioangioma, underwent tocolysis due to preterm uterine contractions. Her clinical condition deteriorated, attributed to mirror syndrome and adverse events induced by ritodrine. An emergency cesarean section was performed at 27 1/7 weeks of gestation, delivering an infant with generalized subcutaneous edema. A placental tumor measuring 8.5 cm was discovered during the operation, and pathology confirmed chorioangioma. Gradual improvement in her symptoms and laboratory data was observed during the postpartum period. Identifying mirror syndrome and ritodrine-induced side effects poses challenges. Therefore, this case is educational and warrants discussion. Conclusion: Our case demonstrates mirror syndrome induced by chorioangioma, which is rare, and ritodrine-induced side effects. The cessation of intravenous ritodrine and delivery are the best methods to treat maternal critical status due to fluid overload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Indoor residual spraying (IRS) capitalizes on the natural behavior of mosquitoes because Aedes aegypti commonly seeks indoor resting sites after a blood meal. This behavior allows mosquitoes to be exposed to insecticide-treated surfaces and subsequently killed. Combinations of deltamethrin and clothianidin with different modes of action have shown promise in IRS, effectively targeting both susceptible and pyrethroid-resistant malaria vectors. However, the effects of this approach on Aedes mosquitoes remain unclear. The present study tested the effects of deltamethrin–clothianidin mixture treatment on behavioral responses and life history traits of Taiwanese and Indonesian populations of Ae. aegypti. Methods: We adopted an excito-repellent approach to explore the behavioral responses of pyrethroid-resistant Ae. aegypti populations from Indonesia and Taiwan to a deltamethrin–clothianidin mixture used in contact irritancy and non-contact repellency treatments. We further evaluated the life history traits of surviving mosquitoes (i.e., delayed mortality after 7-day post-treatment, longevity, fecundity, and egg hatching) and investigated the potential transgenerational hormetic effects of insecticide exposure (i.e., development rate and survival of immatures and adult mosquitos). Results: All tested field populations of Ae. aegypti displayed strong contact irritancy responses; the percentage of escape upon insecticide exposure ranged from 38.8% to 84.7%. However, repellent effects were limited, with the escape percentage ranging from 4.3% to 48.9%. We did not observe immediate knockdown or mortality after 24 h, and less than 15% of the mosquitoes exhibited delayed mortality after a 7-day exposure period. However, the carryover effects of insecticide exposure on the survival of immature mosquitoes resulted in approximately 25% higher immature mortality than that in the control. By contrast, we further documented stimulated survivor reproduction and accelerated transgenerational immature development resulting from the sublethal effects of the insecticide mixture. In particular, the number of eggs laid by treated (both treatments) female mosquitoes increased by at least 60% compared with that of eggs laid by control female mosquitoes. Conclusions: IRS with deltamethrin–clothianidin effectively deters Aedes mosquitoes from entering residential areas and thereby reduces mosquito bites. However, the application rate (deltamethrin: 25 mg/m2; clothianidin: 200 mg/m2) may be insufficient to effectively kill Aedes mosquitoes. Insecticide response appears to vary across mosquito species; their behavioral and physiological responses to sublethal doses have crucial implications for mosquito control programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The early detection of dementia depends on efficient methods for the assessment of cognitive capacity. Existing cognitive screening tools are ill-suited to the differentiation of cognitive status, particularly when dealing with early-stage impairment. Methods: The study included 8,979 individuals (> 50 years) with unimpaired cognitive functions, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia. This study sought to determine optimal cutoffs values for the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) aimed at differentiating between individuals with or without dementia as well as between individuals with or without mild cognitive impairment. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the value of CASI tasks in predicting conversion from MCI to all-cause dementia, dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT), or to vascular dementia (VaD). Results: Our optimized cutoff scores achieved high accuracy in differentiating between individuals with or without dementia (AUC = 0.87—0.93) and moderate accuracy in differentiating between CU and MCI individuals (AUC = 0.67 – 0.74). Among individuals without cognitive impairment, scores that were at least 1.5 × the standard deviation below the mean scores on CASI memory tasks were predictive of conversion to dementia within roughly 2 years after the first assessment (all-cause dementia: hazard ratio [HR] = 2.81 – 3.53; DAT: 1.28 – 1.49; VaD: 1.58). Note that the cutoff scores derived in this study were lower than those reported in previous studies. Conclusion: Our results in this study underline the importance of establishing optimal cutoff scores for individuals with specific demographic characteristics and establishing profiles by which to guide CASI analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cumulative evidence supports the importance of health literacy in determining the quality of healthcare delivery and outcomes. To enhance health literacy competencies among professionals and alleviate healthcare barriers owing to patients' inadequate health literacy, evidence-based health literacy competency guidelines are needed for the development of health professionals' training curricula. The aim of this study was to validate and refine a set of health literacy competencies, including knowledge, attitude, and skills of health professionals, and to prioritize the importance of health literacy practices among healthcare professionals. Methods: We employed a consensus-building approach that utilized a modified three-round Delphi process conducted in 2017. An online Delphi panel was assembled, comprising 20 Taiwanese health literacy experts from diverse fields such as medicine, nursing, public health, language, and communication. A set of health literacy competencies previously identified and validated by an international panel of health literacy experts was cross-culturally translated. Results: After three rounds of ratings and modifications, a consensus agreement was reached on 42 of 62 health literacy competencies, including 12 of 24 knowledge items, 9 of 11 attitude items, and 21 of 27 skill items. Of the 32 health literacy practices, "avoidance using medical jargon," "speaking slowly and clearly with patients," and "using analogies and examples" were deemed most important by the panelists. Conclusions: The Delphi panel's consensus helped to identify a set of core health literacy competencies that could serve as measurable learning objectives to guide the development of a health literacy curriculum for health professionals. The prioritized health literacy practices can be employed as indicators of health literacy competencies that health professionals should learn and routinely use in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rare diseases, also referred to as orphan diseases, are characterised by their low prevalence with majority of them are chronically debilitating and life threatening. Given the low prevalence and the widely dispersed but very small patient base for each disease, there may often be a disproportion in the availability of treatments and resources to manage patients, spur research and train experts. This is especially true in Southeast Asian countries that are currently in the process of implementing or revising their universal health coverage schemes. This paper aims to examine the status of rare disease management in Southeast Asian countries. It will serve as the basis for a more active discussion on how countries in the region can address an under-recognised rare disease burden and enhance national and regional capacities.Methods: The study consists of literature reviews and key stakeholders interviews in six focus countries, including the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand and five countries as best practice, comprising of France, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, and South Korea. Rare disease management initiatives across each country were examined based on the World Health Organization's framework for action in strengthening health systems.Results: The results suggest rare disease management remains challenging across Southeast Asia, as many of the focus countries face fundamental issues from basic healthcare systems to funding. Nonetheless, there are substantial improvement opportunities, including leveraging best practices from around the world and organising a multi-stakeholder and regional approach and strategy.Conclusions: Southeast Asian countries have made significant progress in the management of rare disease, but there remain key areas for substantial development opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Electronic medical records (EMRs) contain vast amounts of data that is of great interest to physicians, clinical researchers, and medial policy makers. As the size, complexity, and accessibility of EMRs grow, the ability to extract meaningful information from them has become an increasingly important problem to solve.Methods: We develop a standardized data analysis process to support cohort study with a focus on a particular disease. We use an interactive divide-and-conquer approach to classify patients into relatively uniform within each group. It is a repetitive process enabling the user to divide the data into homogeneous subsets that can be visually examined, compared, and refined. The final visualization was driven by the transformed data, and user feedback direct to the corresponding operators which completed the repetitive process. The output results are shown in a Sankey diagram-style timeline, which is a particular kind of flow diagram for showing factors' states and transitions over time.Results: This paper presented a visually rich, interactive web-based application, which could enable researchers to study any cohorts over time by using EMR data. The resulting visualizations help uncover hidden information in the data, compare differences between patient groups, determine critical factors that influence a particular disease, and help direct further analyses. We introduced and demonstrated this tool by using EMRs of 14,567 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients.Conclusions: We developed a visual mining system to support exploratory data analysis of multi-dimensional categorical EMR data. By using CKD as a model of disease, it was assembled by automated correlational analysis and human-curated visual evaluation. The visualization methods such as Sankey diagram can reveal useful knowledge about the particular disease cohort and the trajectories of the disease over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This paper presents an epidemiologic study of appendicitis in Taiwan over a twelve-year period. An analysis of the incidence in the low-income population (LIP) is included to explore the effects of lower socioeconomic status on appendicitis. Methods: We analyzed the epidemiological features of appendicitis in Taiwan using data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) from 2000 to 2011. All cases diagnosed as appendicitis were enrolled. Results: The overall incidences of appendicitis, primary appendectomy, and perforated appendicitis were 107.76, 101.58, and 27.20 per 100,000 per year, respectively. The highest incidence of appendicitis was found in persons aged 15 to 29 years; males had higher rates of appendicitis than females at all ages except for 70 years and older. Appendicitis rates were 11.76 % higher in the summer than in the winter months. A multilevel analysis with hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) revealed that male patients, younger patients (aged ≤14 years), and elderly patients (aged ≥60 years) had a higher risk of perforated appendicitis; among adults, the incidence increased with age. Moreover, the risk of perforation was higher in patients with one or more comorbidities. LIP patients comprised 1.25 % of the total number of patients with appendicitis from 2000 to 2011. The overall incidence of appendicitis was 34.99 % higher in the LIP than in the normal population (NP), and the incidence of perforated appendicitis was 40.40 % higher in the LIP than in the NP. After multivariate adjustment, the adjusted hospital costs and length of hospital stay (LOS) for the LIP patients were higher than those for the NP patients. Conclusions: Appendicitis and appendectomy in Taiwan had similar overall incidences, seasonality patterns, and declining trends compared to numerous previous studies. Compared to NP patients, LIP patients had a higher risk of appendicitis, longer LOS and higher hospital costs as a result of appendectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass spectrometry (MS) assays offer exceptional capabilities in high multiplexity, specificity, and throughput. As proteomics technologies continue advancements to identify new disease biomarkers, transition of these innovations from research settings to clinical applications becomes imperative. To meet the rigorous regulatory standards of clinical laboratories, development of a clinical protein MS assay necessitates adherence to stringent criteria. To illustrate the process, this project focused on using thyroglobulin (Tg) as a biomarker and an immuno-multiple reaction monitoring (iMRM) MS-based assay as a model for establishing a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) compliant laboratory within the Centers of Genomic and Precision Medicine, National Taiwan University. The chosen example also illustrates the clinical utility of MS assays to complement conventional immunoassay-based methods, particularly in cases where the presence of autoantibodies in 10–30% of patients hinders accuracy. The laboratory design entails a comprehensive coordination in spatial layout, workflow organization, equipment selection, ventilation systems, plumbing, electrical infrastructure, documentation procedures, and communication protocols. Practical aspects of the transformation process, including preparing laboratory facilities, testing environments, instrument validation, assay development and validation, quality management, sample testing, and personnel competency, are discussed. Finally, concordant results in proficiency testing demonstrate the harmonization with the University of Washington Medical Center and the quality assurance of the CLIA-equivalent Tg-iMRM MS assay established in Taiwan. The realization of this model protein MS assay in Taiwan highlights the feasibility of international joint development and provides a detailed reference map to expedite the implementation of more MS-based protein assays in clinical laboratories for patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Longitudinal integrated clerkships (LICs) and traditional block rotations (TBRs) employ different designs that provide various learning experiences for students. In this study, we explored students' clinical participation and interpersonal interactions in LICs and TBRs at 2 metropolitan hospitals in Taiwan. Methods: In April 2018, we enrolled 15 LIC and 29 TBR students. We conducted a cross-sectional survey which required the students to outline a typical daily schedule during their internal medicine rotations and draw an ecomap of the clinical team members. With the patient in the center as a reference, the size of each circle in an ecomap indicated the importance of the member; the distances and number of connecting lines between two circles represented the relationship and frequency of interaction, respectively, between the corresponding members. We analyzed the results and compared the responses of the LIC and TBR students. Results: The LIC students spent more time on direct patient care and in the outpatient clinic/operation room, whereas the TBR students participated more in educational activities and in observation behind their seniors. In the ecomap analysis, the LIC students had a closer relationship with attending physicians and had better interactions with patients and preceptors than did the TBR students. Conversely, the TBR students felt closer to and interacted more frequently with interns and residents. Conclusions: The LIC students had more opportunities to care for patients directly and engaged in interactions with patients and attending physicians more frequently than did the TBR students. Trial registration: Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of Tri-Service General Hospital (TSGHIRB 2–106–05–018). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prisoner health is a topic of significant importance; however, it has received limited attention in epidemiological studies, likely because of challenges in obtaining relevant data. Specifically, research on ocular disorders among elderly prisoners is lacking. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of disorders of the eye and adnexa among elderly prisoners in Taiwan. Methods: We investigated the presence of eye and adnexal disorders in elderly prisoners in Taiwan using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The ocular disorders were identified using the appropriate disease codes in the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision Clinical Modification (codes 360–379). In addition, the most common types of eye and adnexal disorders among the prisoners were identified. Results: A total of 2215 elderly prisoners (age ≥ 65 years; 2073 men and 142 women) were examined. The prevalence of eye and adnexal disorders among the prisoners was 18.87%. The elderly female prisoners exhibited a higher prevalence of eye and adnexal disorders than the elderly male prisoners. The most common disorders were disorders of the conjunctiva, cataract, and disorders of the lacrimal system. Conclusions: A considerable proportion of elderly prisoners have disorders of the eye and adnexa. The overall quality of life of elderly prisoners can be improved by addressing their visual health, which contributes to the fulfillment of their basic human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aging population has caused assistive technology (AT) to receive attention. Thus, ensuring accurate user comprehension of AT has become increasingly crucial, and more specialized education for students in relevant fields is necessary. The goal of this study was to explore the learning outcomes in the context of AT for older adults and individuals with disabilities through the use of VR experiential learning. Methods: A parallel-group design was used. Sixty third-year university students studying gerontology and long-term-care-related subjects in Taiwan were enrolled, with the experimental (VR) and control (two-dimensional [2D] video) groups each comprising 30 participants. Both groups received the same 15-minute lecture. Subsequently, the experimental group received experiential learning through a VR intervention, whereas the control group watched a 2D video to learn. The students' knowledge of AT was assessed using a pretest and posttest. Additionally, their skills in evaluation of residential environments were assessed using the Residential Environment Assessment (REA) Form for Older Adults. All data analyses were performed with SPSS version 22. Results: In the posttest conducted after the intervention, the experimental group exhibited a significant 20.67 point improvement (p < 0.05), whereas the control group only exhibited improvement of 3.67 points (p = 0.317). Furthermore, the experimental group demonstrated a significantly higher score (+ 2.17 points) on the REA Form for Older Adults than did the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: VR experiential learning can significantly improve undergraduate students' knowledge and evaluation skills in relation to AT for older adults and individuals with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Competency-based medical education (CBME) is an outcomes-oriented approach focused on developing competencies that translate into clinical practice. Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) bridge competency assessment and clinical performance by delineating essential day-to-day activities that can be entrusted to trainees. EPAs have been widely adopted internationally, but not yet implemented for medical radiation professionals in Taiwan. Materials and methods: A nationwide consensus process engaged 97 experts in radiation technology education representing diagnostic radiography, radiation therapy, and nuclear medicine. Preliminary EPAs were developed through the focus group discussion and the modified Delphi method. The validity of these EPAs was evaluated using the QUEPA and EQual tools. Results: Through iterative consensus building, six core EPAs with 18 component observable practice activities (OPAs) in total were developed, encompassing routines specific to each radiation technology specialty. QUEPA and EQual questionnaire data verified these EPAs were valid, and of high quality for clinical teaching and evaluation. Conclusion: The consensus development of tailored EPAs enables rigorous competency assessment during medical radiation technology education in Taiwan. Further expansion of EPAs and training of clinical staff could potentially enhance care quality by producing competent professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the importance of discharge planning in physicians' education, currently in most countries, no identical training is provided. Difficulties in promoting physician discharge planning education in Taiwan are still noted. This study aims to find the physicians' role of discharge planning training in educating post graduate year residents (PGY) in Taiwan. Materials and methods: We took advantage of government and hospital policies that promote the discharge planning program to teach and implement it, beginning with PGY residents by incorporating it into their training program. We recruited 30 PGY residents who were attending their three-month general internal medicine training from 2018 to 2019. They were interviewed at the end of the program using cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT). Qualitative research methods were used to further understand how discharge planning and care was implemented. Results: Trainees initially believed that they did not have any role in discharge planning. Using the cycle of expansive learning, we found that the role of physicians in discharge planning was unclear. There were still some inconsistencies in the teaching and implementation of the discharge planning program for PGY residents that needed to be resolved, but this study also let participants learn through practice to improve their identification of discharge planning. Conclusions: This study analyzed the impact of a discharge planning program for PGY physicians in Taiwan. It showed that the program affected physicians' practice and medical education, although some contradictions remain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral disorders are still a major global public health challenge, considering their perpetuating and chronic nature. Currently, there is no direct index to measure the quality of care on a population scale. Hence, we aim to propose a new index to measure the quality of care for oral disorders worldwide. Methods: We generated our database using the data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2017. Among different variables such as prevalence, incidence, years lived with disability, and disability-adjusted life years, we utilised principal component analysis (PCA) to determine the component that bears the greatest proportion of information to generate the novel quality of care index (QCI) for oral disorders. Results: Global QCI for oral disorders gradually increased from 1990 to 2017 (from 70.5 to 74.6). No significant gender disparity was observed during this period, and the gender disparity ratio (GDR) was considered optimal in 1990 and 2017. Between 1990 and 2017, the age-standardised QCI for all oral disorders increased in all the SDI regions. The highest QCI for all oral disorders in 2017 belonged to high-middle SDI countries (=80.24), and the lowest YLDs rate was seen in the low SDI quintile. In 1990, the quality of care in European, Central Asian, and Central and South American countries was in the lowest quintiles, whereas the North American, East Asian, Middle Eastern, and some African countries had the highest quality of dental care. Maynmar (=100), Uganda (=92.5), Taiwan (=92.0), China (=92.5), and the United States (=89.2) were the five countries with the highest age-standardised QCI. Nicaragua (=41.3), Belgium (=40.2), Venezuela (=38.4), Sierra Leone (=30.5), and the Gambia (=30.3) were the five countries with the least age-standardised QCI values. Conclusion: The quality of care for all oral disorders showed an increasing trend on a global scale from 1990 to 2017. However, the QCI distribution was not homogenous among various regions. To prevent the exacerbation of imminent disparities in this regard, better attention to total tooth loss in high-income countries and prioritising primary healthcare provision in low-income countries are recommended for oral disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) tend to have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with poorer prognosis. We performed this research to compare the risks of cardiovascular diseases, cirrhosis, liver-related mortality, and cardiovascular mortality between glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) use and no-use in patients with T2D without viral hepatitis. Methods: From January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2018, we used propensity-score matching to identify 31,183 pairs of GLP-1 RA users and nonusers from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the outcomes between the study and control groups. Results: The median (Q1, Q3) follow-up time for GLP-1 RA users and nonusers were 2.19 (1.35, 3.52) and 2.14 (1.19, 3.68) years, respectively. The all-cause mortality incidence rate was 5.67 and 13.06 per 1000 person-years for GLP-1 RA users and nonusers, respectively. Multivariable-adjusted analysis showed that GLP-1 RA use had significantly lower risks of all-cause mortality (aHR 0.48, 95%CI 0.43–0.53), cardiovascular events (aHR 0.92, 95%CI 0.86–0.99), cardiovascular death (aHR 0.57, 95%CI 0.45–0.72), and liver-related death (aHR 0.32, 95%CI 0.13–0.75). However, there was no significant difference in the risk of liver cirrhosis development, hepatic failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma compared to GLP-1 RA no-use. Conclusions: This nationwide cohort study showed that GLP-1 RA use was associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular events, and cardiovascular death in patients with T2D among Taiwan population. More prospective studies are warranted to verify our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Palliative care requires a multidisciplinary team to assist patients and their families to obtain good quality care at the end of life. Typically, community pharmacists have fewer opportunities to provide services for patients with palliative care needs than hospital pharmacists. Moreover, home-based palliative care (HBPC) by pharmacists remains low and there is a lack of research regarding HBPC provided by pharmacists. Therefore, this study sought to understand the views and reflections of community pharmacists in the clinical frontline providing palliative home services. Methods: Purposive sampling was used to recruit six community pharmacists for one-on-one, in-depth, semi-structured interviews and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Five major themes emerged: [1] Engagement, [2] Challenge, [3] Mission, [4] Career metamorphosis, and [5] Outlook. The pharmacists described how they engaged in HBPC and faced the challenges. They regarded opioid management as a burden. Moreover, some mentioned that reimbursement for palliative home care is low or non-profitable. They suggested building a platform to exchange advice and legislation adjustments so that they could pass on their experiences to less experienced pharmacists in HBPC. Conclusions: The involvement of pharmacists is crucial to provide better palliative care. Although the present study was small and might not fully represent the whole situation, the findings could still inform future education, training, and policy planning to promote pharmacists' participation in palliative care to generalise community palliative care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between fasting blood glucose and osteoporosis in women with diabetes, anemia, and renal function. Methods: The medical records of women who underwent a general health examination at a regional hospital in southern Taiwan were retrospectively reviewed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between osteoporosis and fasting blood glucose separately for the eight subgroups (diabetes or non-diabetes, anemia or non-anemia, normal or decreased renal function), adjusting for other clinical characteristics and laboratory findings. Results: A total of 11,872 women were included in the study. Among women with diabetes, anemia, and decreased renal function, an increment of 10 mg/dL in fasting blood glucose was associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.57, p = 0.004). Among women without diabetes, fasting blood glucose was significantly associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis in those with anemia and normal renal function (OR = 1.14, p = 0.023) and those without anemia and normal renal function (OR = 1.04, p = 0.015), but these associations were not significant after adjusting for other covariates. Conclusions: Higher fasting blood glucose levels in women with diabetes, anemia, and decreased renal function were associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis. Clinicians should be vigilant about glucose control in patients with diabetes to reduce the risk of fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The benefits of mammographic screening have been shown to include a decrease in mortality due to breast cancer. Taiwan's Breast Cancer Screening Program is a national screening program that has offered biennial mammographic breast cancer screening for women aged 50–69 years since 2004 and for those aged 45–69 years since 2009, with the implementation of mobile units in 2010. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance results of the program with changes in the previous (2004–2009) and latter (2010–2020) periods. Methods: A cohort of 3,665,078 women who underwent biennial breast cancer mammography screenings from 2004 to 2020 was conducted, and data were obtained from the Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan. We compared the participation of screened women and survival rates from breast cancer in the earlier and latter periods across national breast cancer screening programs. Results: Among 3,665,078 women who underwent 8,169,869 examinations in the study population, the screened population increased from 3.9% in 2004 to 40% in 2019. The mean cancer detection rate was 4.76 and 4.08 cancers per 1000 screening mammograms in the earlier (2004–2009) and latter (2010–2020) periods, respectively. The 10-year survival rate increased from 89.68% in the early period to 97.33% in the latter period. The mean recall rate was 9.90% (95% CI: 9.83–9.97%) in the early period and decreased to 8.15% (95%CI, 8.13–8.17%) in the latter period. Conclusions: The evolution of breast cancer screening in Taiwan has yielded favorable outcomes by increasing the screening population, increasing the 10-year survival rate, and reducing the recall rate through the participation of young women, the implementation of a mobile unit service and quality assurance program, thereby providing historical evidence to policy makers to plan future needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Design thinking (DT) competence, a creative problem-solving ability, has been investigated extensively among college students in various professional fields within the western cultures. No instrument, however, is available for assessing DT competence in nursing students, particularly, those in non-western cultures. Objective: To adapt and validate the use of Creative Synthesis Inventory (CSI) assessing the four components (i.e., visualization, discovery, prototyping, and evaluation) of DT competence in nursing students in Taiwan. Design: Cross-sectional, mixed methodological design combining qualitative and quantitative strategies. Participants: A 19-item CSI was administered to a total of 520 nursing students from two campuses of a science and technology university in Taiwan. The data collection was conducted between September 2020 and June 2022. Methods: The cross-cultural adaptation and validation of CSI-Taiwan was done in two phases: Phase I included content validity check, translation, and cross-cultural adaptation. Phase II involved pilot testing and psychometric evaluation. Results: A first-order confirmatory factor analysis validated the four-component structure, namely visualization, discovery, prototyping, and evaluation, of an 18-item CSI-Taiwan (model fit indices: χ2/df = 3.953, NNFI = 0.942, CFI = 0.956, TLI = 0.947, SRMR = 0.035, and RMSEA = 0.075). A second-order confirmatory factor analysis further indicated that the four components converged on a unitary construct of DT competence (model fit indices: χ2/df = 4.082, NNFI = 0.935, CFI = 0.949, TLI = 0.940, SRMR = 0.040, and RMSEA = 0.080). Moreover, the CSI-Taiwan also demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity. Together these results validated the construct of DT competence and its components as theorized. Conclusions: The CSI-Taiwan was a reliable and valid self-report instrument to be used by Taiwanese nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Taiwan's warm and humid climate and dense population provide a suitable environment for the breeding of pests. The three major urban insects in Taiwan are house flies, cockroaches, and mosquitoes. In cases where a disease outbreak or high pest density necessitates chemical control, selecting the most effective insecticide is crucial. The resistance of pests to the selected environmental insecticide must be rapidly assessed to achieve effective chemical control and reduce environmental pollution. Methods: In this study, we evaluated the resistance of various pests, namely, house flies (Musca domestica L.), cockroaches (Blattella germanica L. and Periplaneta americana), and mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus) against 10 commonly used insecticides. Rapid insecticide resistance bioassays were performed using discriminating doses or concentrations of the active ingredients of insecticides. Results: Five field strains of M. domestica (L.) are resistant to all 10 commonly used insecticides and exhibit cross- and multiple resistance to four types of pyrethroids and three types of organophosphates, propoxur, fipronil, and imidacloprid. None of the five field strains of P. americana are resistant to any of the tested insecticides, and only one strain of B. germanica (L.) is resistant to permethrin. One strain of Ae. albopictus is resistant to pirimiphos-methyl, whereas five strains of Ae. aegypti exhibit multiple resistance to pyrethroids, organophosphates, and other insecticides. Conclusions: In the event of a disease outbreak or high pest density, rapid insecticide resistance bioassays may be performed using discriminating doses or concentrations to achieve precise and effective chemical control, reduce environmental pollution, and increase control efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Volunteers in Taiwan complement the delivery of health services by paid health professionals. However, in doing so, community health volunteers experience burdens associated with their activities. The reasons for these burdens and degree to which they are experienced are explored in this paper. Our study adds to international research regarding the burden experienced by volunteers. This project is the first to assess how community health volunteers in Taiwan experience burden. Methods: The 20 item Burden on Community Health Volunteer (BCHV) instrument, specifically designed for this project, was administered to 435 volunteers attached to Community Health Promotion Development Centres in northern Taiwan. Results: The overall burden experienced by volunteers is relatively low. However, a multivariate adjusted regression analysis revealed significant differences in volunteer burden depending on the number of people each volunteer served on average per week, as well as the volunteer's marital status and their perceptions about personal health. Volunteers who served many people and who perceived their own health as poor experienced a higher level of burden. Those who were a widow or a widower felt less burdened than others. Conclusions: The results of the study identify areas where burden is high and where strategies can be developed to reduce the level of burden experienced by community health volunteers in Taiwan. Community health volunteers in Taiwan complement the role of nurses and other health care providers so their retention is important to ongoing service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Positive alcohol outcome expectancy has consistently been linked with problematic drinking, but there is little population-based evidence on its role on early stages of drinking in childhood. The present study seeks to understand the extent to which drinking of family members is differentially associated with the endorsement of alcohol expectancy in late childhood. Methods: A representative sample of 4th and 6th graders (N = 2455) drawn from 28 public schools in an urban region of Taiwan completed a self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaire. Each student provided information on alcohol expectancy, drinking experiences, and individual and family attributes. Complex survey analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship, with stratification by children's alcohol drinking history. Results: An estimated 29% of the 4th graders and 43% of the 6th graders had initiated alcohol consumption (over 40% of them had drank on three or more occasions). Alcohol drinking-related differences appear in both the endorsement and the correlates of alcohol expectancy. Positive alcohol expectancy was strongly associated with family drinking, particularly the dimension of "enhanced social behaviors"; negative alcohol expectancy was inversely associated with drinking frequency. Among alcohol naïve children, significant connections appear between paternal drinking and three dimensions of positive alcohol expectancy (i.e., enhanced social behaviors: βwt = 0.15, promoting relaxation or tension reduction: βwt = 0.18, and global positive transformation: βwt = 0.22). Conclusions: Individual tailored strategies that address family influences on alcohol expectancy may be needed in prevention programs targeting drinking behaviors in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited attention has been paid to the issue of reproductive health as it affects women with intellectual disabilities, despite reproductive health being a vital issue in public health policy for women in the general population. This paper describes caregiver awareness of reproductive health issues relative to women with intellectual disabilities who are being cared for in welfare institutions in Taiwan. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study which recruited 1,152 caregivers (response rate = 71.87%) from 32 registered disability welfare institutions in Taiwan. We classified their understanding/awareness of reproductive health issues into four domains: menstrual (1) and menopause (2) issues, sex education (3), and reproductive health services (4). Each domain had five associated yes/no questions and the total score for the four domains was out of a maximum of 20. Data were analyzed using SPSS 15.0 software. Results: We found that most of the caregivers were familiar with matters concerning sex education, menopause, and reproductive health services, but they lacked adequate understanding of issues associated with menstruation in women with ID. Many aspects of reproductive health such as "menstrual pain", "age at menarche", "masturbation", "diet during perimenopause", and "publicly available reproductive health services" were issues in which caregivers lacked adequate knowledge and required further instruction. Logistic regression analysis revealed that female caregivers with a university degree, and those who had experience assisting with reproductive health care were more inclined to have higher reproductive health awareness scores than their counterparts. Conclusions: This study highlights that service providers should offer appropriate reproductive health education to institutional caregivers, and that more attention be focused on the personal experiences and concerns of intellectually disabled women in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In contrast to the considerable body of literature concerning the disabilities of the general population, little information exists pertaining to the disabilities of the farm population. Focusing on the disability issue to the insurants in the Farmers' Health Insurance (FHI) program in Taiwan, this paper examines the associations among socio-demographic characteristics, insured factors, and the introduction of the national health insurance program, as well as the types and payments of disabilities among the insurants. Methods: A unique dataset containing 1,594,439 insurants in 2008 was used in this research. A logistic regression model was estimated for the likelihood of received disability payments. By focusing on the recipients, a disability payment and a disability type equation were estimated using the ordinary least squares method and a multinomial logistic model, respectively, to investigate the effects of the exogenous factors on their received payments and the likelihood of having different types of disabilities. Results: Age and different job categories are significantly associated with the likelihood of receiving disability payments. Compared to those under age 45, the likelihood is higher among recipients aged 85 and above (the odds ratio is 8.04). Compared to hired workers, the odds ratios for self-employed and spouses of farm operators who were not members of farmers' associations are 0.97 and 0.85, respectively. In addition, older insurants are more likely to have eye problems; few differences in disability types are related to insured job categories. Conclusions: Results indicate that older farmers are more likely to receive disability payments, but the likelihood is not much different among insurants of various job categories. Among all of the selected types of disability, a highest likelihood is found for eye disability. In addition, the introduction of the national health insurance program decreases the likelihood of receiving disability payments. The experience in Taiwan can be valuable for other countries that are in an initial stage to implement a universal health insurance program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diagnosis-based risk adjustment is becoming an important issue globally as a result of its implications for payment, high-risk predictive modelling and provider performance assessment. The Taiwanese National Health Insurance (NHI) programme provides universal coverage and maintains a single national computerized claims database, which enables the application of diagnosis-based risk adjustment. However, research regarding risk adjustment is limited. This study aims to examine the performance of the Adjusted Clinical Group (ACG) case-mix system using claims-based diagnosis information from the Taiwanese NHI programme. Methods: A random sample of NHI enrollees was selected. Those continuously enrolled in 2002 were included for concurrent analyses (n = 173,234), while those in both 2002 and 2003 were included for prospective analyses (n = 164,562). Health status measures derived from 2002 diagnoses were used to explain the 2002 and 2003 health expenditure. A multivariate linear regression model was adopted after comparing the performance of seven different statistical models. Split-validation was performed in order to avoid overfitting. The performance measures were adjusted R² and mean absolute prediction error of five types of expenditure at individual level, and predictive ratio of total expenditure at group level. Results: The more comprehensive models performed better when used for explaining resource utilization. Adjusted R² of total expenditure in concurrent/prospective analyses were 4.2%/4.4% in the demographic model, 15%/10% in the ACGs or ADGs (Aggregated Diagnosis Group) model, and 40%/22% in the models containing EDCs (Expanded Diagnosis Cluster). When predicting expenditure for groups based on expenditure quintiles, all models underpredicted the highest expenditure group and overpredicted the four other groups. For groups based on morbidity burden, the ACGs model had the best performance overall. Conclusions: Given the widespread availability of claims data and the superior explanatory power of claims-based risk adjustment models over demographics-only models, Taiwan;s government should consider using claims-based models for policy-relevant applications. The performance of the ACG case-mix system in Taiwan was comparable to that found in other countries. This suggested that the ACG system could be applied to Taiwan's NHI even though it was originally developed in the USA. Many of the findings in this paper are likely to be relevant to other diagnosis-based risk adjustment methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been shown to be a major risk factor for cervical cancer. Vaccines against HPV-16 and HPV-18 are highly effective in preventing type-specific HPV infections and related cervical lesions. There is, however, limited data available describing the health and economic impacts of HPV vaccination in Taiwan. The objective of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of prophylactic HPV vaccination for the prevention of cervical cancer in Taiwan. Methods: We developed a Markov model to compare the health and economic outcomes of vaccinating preadolescent girls (at the age of 12 years) for the prevention of cervical cancer with current practice, including cervical cytological screening. Data were synthesized from published papers or reports, and whenever possible, those specific to Taiwan were used. Sensitivity analyses were performed to account for important uncertainties and different vaccination scenarios. Results: Under the assumption that the HPV vaccine could provide lifelong protection, the massive vaccination among preadolescent girls in Taiwan would lead to reduction in 73.3% of the total incident cervical cancer cases and would result in a life expectancy gain of 4.9 days or 8.7 quality-adjusted life days at a cost of US$324 as compared to the current practice. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was US$23,939 per life year gained or US$13,674 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained given the discount rate of 3%. Sensitivity analyses showed that this ICER would remain below US$30,000 per QALY under most conditions, even when vaccine efficacy was suboptimal or when vaccine-induced immunity required booster shots every 13 years. Conclusions: Although gains in life expectancy may be modest at the individual level, the results indicate that prophylactic HPV vaccination of preadolescent girls in Taiwan would result in substantial population benefits with a favorable cost-effectiveness ratio. Nevertheless, we should not overlook the urgency to improve the compliance rate of cervical screening, particularly for older individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic threw the world into turmoil during the first half of 2003. Many subsequent papers have addressed its impact on health service utilization, but few have considered palliative (hospice) care. The aim of the present study was to describe changes in hospice inpatient utilization during and after the SARS epidemic in 2003 in Taiwan. Methods: The data sources were the complete datasets of inpatient admissions during 2002 and 2003 from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Before-and-after comparisons of daily and monthly utilizations were made. Hospice analyses were limited to those wards that offered inpatient services throughout these two years. The comparisons were extended to total hospital bed utilization and to patients who were still admitted to hospice wards during the peak period of the SARS epidemic. Results: Only 15 hospice wards operated throughout the whole of 2002 and 2003. In 2003, hospice utilization began to decrease in the middle of April, reached a minimum on 25 May, and gradually recovered to the level of the previous November. Hospices showed a more marked reduction in utilization than all hospital beds (e.g. -52.5% vs. -19.9% in May 2003) and a slower recovery with a three-month lag. In total, 566 patients were admitted to hospice wards in May/June 2003, in contrast to 818 in May/June 2002. Gender, age and diagnosis distributions did not differ. Conclusion: Hospice inpatient utilization in Taiwan was indeed more sensitive to the emerging epidemic than general inpatient utilization. A well-balanced network with seamless continuity of care should be ensured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]