Identifying health information needs of senior online communities users: a text mining approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-24
Author(s):  
Yuxing Qian ◽  
Wenxuan Gui
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Online Communities ◽  
Western Medicine ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Medical Systems ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify the health information needs of senior online communities (SOCs) users, which could provide a basis for improving senior health information services.Design/methodology/approachA total of 14,933 health-related posts in the two most popular senior online communities (Yinling and Keai) in China are crawled as a corpus. Based on the results of word frequency analysis, text classification is performed based on two aspects: medical systems (Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine) and topics. The health information needs of SOCs users are revealed from the composition, growth trends and popularity of health information. Finally, some key points of senior health information services are discussed.FindingsThe health information needs of senior users can be divided into four types: coping with aging, dietary nutrition, physical exercise and mental health. These needs are comprehensive and involve a variety of health issues. Users are mainly concerned with physical health issues. In terms of medical systems, the number of Western medicine posts is relatively larger, whereas traditional Chinese medicine appears more in posts on coping with aging and physical exercise. The health information needs of SOCs users are in a stable status. Both the medical systems and topics could have an impact on the popularity of health information, but the number of posts is inconsistent with the level of popularity.Originality/valueThis study combines multiple perspectives to identify the health information needs of seniors in China with a comprehensive overview.

Comprehension of the Unique Characteristics of Traditional Chinese Medicine

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (02) ◽  
pp. 231-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stevenson Xutian ◽  
Dongyi Cao ◽  
JoAnn Wozniak ◽  
John Junion ◽  
Johanne Boisvert
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Human Body ◽  
Western Medicine ◽  
Turning Points ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Human History ◽  
Medical Systems ◽  
Paper Briefly ◽  
Methodological Aspects

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has made great contributions to human history, especially in China, as has been recorded for thousands of years. The characteristics of TCM in both theory and practice make it different from Conventional Western Medicine (CWM). The characteristics of TCM include phenomenological, philosophical, and methodological aspects. This paper briefly discusses some historical turning points and innovations in TCM development in China, explores human body enigmas such as the heart, compares different aspects of TCM and CWM, and identifies the unique characteristics of TCM treatment, as compared to other medical systems.

Research on consumers' health information consultation patterns

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-42
Author(s):  
Dan Wu ◽  
Hao Xu ◽  
Shu Fan
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Behavior ◽  
Consumer Health Information ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Consumer Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range

PurposeThis paper aims to identify consumers' health information consultation patterns by analyzing information sources to better understand consumers' health information needs and behavior in the context of multisource health information.Design/methodology/approachHaodaifu Online, an online health consultation (OHC) website in China, was used as a research data source, and 20,000 consultation cases were collected from the website with Python. After screening and cleaning, 1,601 consultation cases were included in this study. A content analysis-based mixed-methods research approach was applied to analyze these cases.FindingsThe results indicate that with the participation of OHC, there are 15 patterns of consumer health information consultation. Besides OHC, health information sources reported by consumers included medical institutions family/friends and the Internet. Consumers consult on a wide range of health issues including surgical conditions obstetrical and gynecological conditions and other 20 subjects. Consumers have multiple information needs when using OHC: getting prescriptions, diagnosing diseases, making appointments, understanding illnesses, confirming diagnoses and reviewing costs. Through further analysis it was found that consumers’ health information consultation patterns were also significantly different in health issues and health information needs.Originality/valueThis study broadens one’s understanding of consumer health information behavior, which contributes to the field of health information behavior, and also provides insight for OHC stakeholders to improve their services.

scholarly journals The Chinese Medicinal Formulation Guzhi Zengsheng Zhitongwan Modulates Chondrocyte Structure, Dynamics, and Metabolism by Controlling Multiple Functional Proteins

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Baojin Yao ◽  
Bocheng Lu ◽  
Mei Zhang ◽  
Hongwei Gao ◽  
Xiangyang Leng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Medical Systems ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Structure Dynamics ◽  
National Medical ◽  
Medicinal Formulation

Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the oldest medical systems in the world and has its unique principles and theories in the prevention and treatment of human diseases, which are achieved through the interactions of different types of materia medica in the form of Chinese medicinal formulations. GZZSZTW, a classical and effective Chinese medicinal formulation, was designed and created by professor Bailing Liu who is the only national medical master professor in the clinical research field of traditional Chinese medicine and skeletal diseases. GZZSZTW has been widely used in clinical settings for several decades for the treatment of joint diseases. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still largely unknown. In the present study, we performed quantitative proteomic analysis to investigate the effects of GZZSZTW on mouse primary chondrocytes using state-of-the-art iTRAQ technology. We demonstrated that the Chinese medicinal formulation GZZSZTW modulates chondrocyte structure, dynamics, and metabolism by controlling multiple functional proteins that are involved in the cellular processes of DNA replication and transcription, protein synthesis and degradation, cytoskeleton dynamics, and signal transduction. Thus, this study has expanded the current knowledge of the molecular mechanism of GZZSZTW treatment on chondrocytes. It has also shed new light on possible strategies to further prevent and treat cartilage-related diseases using traditional Chinese medicinal formulations.

scholarly journals Issues in Teen Technology Use to Find Health Information

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley S. J. Farmer
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Social Situation ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Digital Resources

Teens need and want information about health issues. Even though teens tend to prefer asking people for help, increasingly they access digital resources because of the Internet’s availability, affordability, and anonymity. Teen health information interests vary by age, gender, social situation, and motivation. This paper discusses several issues about how teens access and seek that information, how teens use technology for seeking health information, and offers recommendations to insure optimal library services to address health information needs of all teens.

scholarly journals Effects of Shaoyao-Gancao-Fuzi Decoction on the Pharmacokinetics of CYP3A4-Mediated Tofacitinib in Rats

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Lin ◽  
Yuan Wang ◽  
Sennan Shao ◽  
Wen Lin ◽  
Dan Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Oral Administration ◽  
Western Medicine ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Clinical Use ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Profiles ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Cocktail Approach

Abstract Background: The combination of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine is commonly accepted in clinics in China. Shaoyao-Gancao-Fuzi decoction (SGFD) has been extensively used to dispel wind, eliminate dampness and treat paralysis. Tofacitinib is approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. SGFD and tofacitinib could be used together for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Methods: A cocktail approach was employed to assess the effects of SGFD on the activities of CYP450s. After pretreatment for 2 weeks with SGFD, a cocktail solution was given to rats 24 h after the last dose of saline or SGFD. Additionally, the pharmacokinetic profiles of oral administration of tofacitinib in rats, with or without SGFD pre-treatment were investigated.Results: The results showed that SGFD could induce the activity of CYP1A2 and inhibit the activity of CYP3A4. Furthermore, SGFD could significantly affect the pharmacokinetics of tofacitinib. Compared with control group, the AUC0-∞ of tofacitinib was increased from 13669.53 ± 4986.83 to 28706.69 ± 9563.13 ng/mL*h (p < 0.01), and the Cmax was increased from 8359.66 ± 1512.22 to 11332.51 ± 2791.90 ng/mL (p < 0.05).Conclusions: The system exposure of tofacitinib was increased by SGFD. The mechanism might be through inhibiting the activity of CYP3A4 and reducing the metabolism of tofacitinib in rats. The study will provide better guidance for the safe clinical use of SGFD and tofacitinib.

scholarly journals Treatment of Oral Ulcer Based on TCM Syndrome Differentiation

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Yao ◽  
Li Liu
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Western Medicine ◽  
Severe Case ◽  
Oral Ulcer ◽  
Syndrome Differentiation ◽  
Tcm Syndrome ◽  
Chinese Medicine Treatment

Oral ulcer is a kind of ulcerative injury that occurs in the oral mucosa and is very common in clinic. In severe case, it can affect the quality of life of the patients. Western medicine treatment of oral ulcer is often prone to relapse, while the effect of traditional Chinese medicine treatment is remarkable.

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