Interactive Journal of Medical Research

Interstep variations in step riser height and tread depth within a stairway could negatively impact safe stair negotiation by decreasing step riser height predictability and, consequently, increasing stair users’ fall risk. Unfortunately, interstep variations in riser height and depth are common, particularly in older stairways, but its impact may be lessened by highlighting steps’ edges using a high-contrast stripe on the top front edge of each step.

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy is a critical component in achieving viral suppression in people living with HIV in addition to increasing overall quality of life. Several indirect methods have been used to measure adherence including the Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire (SMAQ).

Good communication between health authorities and citizens is crucial for adherence to preventive measures during a pandemic. Crisis communication often appeals to worries about negative consequences for oneself or others. While worry can motivate protective behavior, it can also be overwhelming and lead to irrational choices or become a mental health problem. Also, the levels and consequences of worry can differ between different groups of citizens. Little is known about the evolution of worries during the pandemic and adherence to measures in distinct groups.

By allowing for abortion bans and restrictions to take effect in the majority of US states, the 2022 Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision portends to have lasting impacts on patient care and the physician workforce. Notably, it is already beginning to impact practice location preferences of US health care workers, evidenced by declining application rates to residency programs in abortion-restrictive states since 2022. Yet, there remains a gap in the literature regarding why this trend exists.

Research on personality types among doctors reveals its impact on medical specialty choices, suggesting that considering personality in career planning may enhance work satisfaction and reduce burnout risks.

Government policies in the United States and the European Union promote standardization and value creation in the use of FAIR (findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability) data, which can enhance trust in digital health systems and is crucial for their success. Trust is built through elements such as FAIR data access, interoperability, and improved communication, which are essential for fostering innovation in digital health technologies. This Viewpoint aims to report on exploratory research demonstrating the feasibility of testing a patient-centric data flow model facilitating semantic interoperability on precision medical information. In this global trend, the interoperable interface called Sync for Science-J (S4S-J) for linking electronic medical records (EMRs) and personal health records was launched as part of the Basic Policy for Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform in Japan. S4S-J controls data distribution consisting of EMR and patient-generated health data and converts this information into QR codes that can be scanned by mobile apps. This system facilitates data sharing based on personal information beliefs and unlocks siloed Internet of Things systems with a privacy preference manager. In line with Japanese information handling practices, the development of a mobile cloud network will lower barriers to entry and enable accelerated data sharing. To ensure cross-compatibility and compliance with future international data standardization, S4S-J conforms to the Health Level 7 Fast Health Care Interoperability Resources standard and uses the international standardized logical observation identifiers names and codes (LOINC) to redefine medical terms used in different terminology standards in different medical fields. It is developed as an applied standard in medical information intended for industry, health care services, and research through secondary use of data. A multicenter collaborative study was initiated to investigate the effectiveness of this system; this was a registered, multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial, the EMBRACE study of the mobile health app M♡Link for hyperglycemic disorders in pregnancy, which implements an EMR–personal health record interoperable interface via S4S-J. Nevertheless, the aforementioned new challenges, the pivotal Health Level 7 Fast Health Care Interoperability Resources system, and LOINC data mapping were successfully implemented. Moreover, the preliminary input of EMR-integrated patient-generated health data was successfully shared between authorized medical facilities and health care providers in accordance with the patients’ preferences. The patient-centric data flow of the S4S-J in Japan is expected to guarantee the right to data portability, which promotes the maximum benefit of use by patients themselves, which in turn contributes to the promotion of open science.

Artificial intelligence is experiencing rapid growth, with continual innovation and advancements in the health care field.

Recently, it has been reported that older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have lower skeletal muscle mass than healthy individuals. Although skeletal muscle mass in older adults with diabetes is occasionally reported, similar reports on young to middle-aged adults are limited.

Edentulism impacts the physical health and quality of life of older individuals. The prevalence, influencing factors, and differences in terms of edentulism in urban and rural areas of China are unclear.

Emergency medical services have a pivotal role in giving timely and appropriate responses to emergency events caused by medical, natural, or human-caused disasters. To provide adequate resources for the emergency services, such as ambulances, it is necessary to understand the demand for such services. In Indonesia, estimates of demand for emergency services cannot be obtained easily due to a lack of published literature or official reports concerning the matter.

There is low public awareness of and use of price transparency laws, which undermines the utility of the price transparency initiatives of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

Health care workers (HCWs) played a key role in preventing and controlling COVID-19. Higher infection risks and intensive work led to occupational burnout for many HCWs, which may affect their lifestyle behaviors and weight.