• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 2021

Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders experienced by modern people, and treatment is often not adequate due to various limitations. Digital therapeutics for insomnia are expected to play a revolutionary role in supplementing and satisfying unmet needs in real-world clinical treatment. Digital therapeutics for insomnia were developed based on cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia, which is the first standard treatment for insomnia. The effectiveness of digital therapeutics for insomnia developed by several companies has been proven through well-designed clinical research. Various approaches have been used for practical application of digital therapeutics for insomnia. Thus far, meaningful results have been drawn, but there are areas that need to be improved upon based on real-world evidence. Sleep researchers need to validate the safe and effective application of digital therapeutics for the treatment of insomnia.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.192-203
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• 2023

Digital therapeutics based on software, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, games, and smartphone applications, are in the spotlight as new therapeutic alternatives in child and adolescent psychiatry. It draws attention to overcoming conventional therapeutics' limitations, such as toxicity, cost, and accessibility, and encourages patients to participate in the treatment attractively. The growth potential of the digital therapeutics market for psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents in Korea and abroad has been highlighted. Clinical studies and Food and Drug Administration approvals for digital therapeutics have increased, and cases approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety have emerged in Korea. As seen above, digital transformation in child and adolescent psychiatry will change treatment paradigms significantly. Therefore, as this new field has just begun to emerge, it is necessary to verify the effectiveness and scope of the application of digital therapeutics and consider preparing a compensation system and institutional arrangements. Accordingly, this study analyzed the development trends and application status of digital therapeutics in children and adolescents and presented limitations and development directions from the perspective of application in healthcare. Further, the study is expected to identify the utility and limitations of digital therapeutics for children and adolescents and establish effective application measures.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.162-172
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• 2024

To analyse the overall research trends in digital therapeutics, this study conducted a quantitative bibliometric analysis of articles published in the last 10 years from 2014 to 2023. We extracted bibliographic information of studies related to digital therapeutics from the Web of Science (WOS) database and performed publication status, citation analysis and keyword analysis using R (version 4.3.1) and VOSviewer (version 1.6.18) software. A total of 1,114 articles were included in the study, and the annual publication growth rate for digital therapeutics was 66.1%, a very rapid increase. "health" is the most used keyword based on Keyword Plus, and "cognitive-behavioral therapy", "depression", "healthcare", "mental-health", "meta-analysis" and "randomized controlled-trial" are the research keywords that have driven the development and impact of digital therapeutic devices over the long term. A total of five clusters were observed in the co-occurrence network analysis, with new research keywords such as "artificial intelligence", "machine learning" and "regulation" being observed in recent years. In our analysis of research trends in digital therapeutics, keywords related to mental health, such as depression, anxiety, and disorder, were the top keywords by occurrences and total link strength. While many studies have shown the positive effects of digital therapeutics, low engagement and high dropout rates remain a concern, and much research is being done to evaluate and improve them. Future studies should expand the search terms to ensure the representativeness of the results.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.221-241
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• 2023

Background: The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the effects of digital therapeutics for insomnia on sleep disorders and mental health improvement compared to the control group. Methods: Following the guidelines on systematic review(PRISMA, NECA), a literature search was conducted through PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, RISS, KISS, and KoreaMed using keywords. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and Review Manager version 5.3 were used for risk of bias and effect size assessment. Results: Thirty eight RCT met criteria for inclusion. When compared against three control conditions, the digital therapeutics for insomnia was an effective intervention for improvement sleep disorders and mental health in comparison to waiting list and Patient-directed care with some intervention by medical staff. However, digital therapeutics for insomnia were no more effective than face-to-face CBT-I control group. Conclusion: The efficacy of digital therapeutics for insomnia was evaluated differently depending on the control group. Therefore, in phase 3 clinical trials for efficacy evaluation, it is necessary to review whether the control group has been properly established.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.57-66
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• 2022

In this study, the definition of "digital therapeutics" was clarified by examining related studies, and the development trend of digital therapeutics at the domestic level was investigated. Further, research data and technologies applied to various communication disorders since 2015 were analyzed. From all these, digital therapeutics can be defined as software that can support evidence-based treatment when used on patients to prevent, manage, and treat disorders With huge investments and research efforts increasingly made in the field of digital therapeutics, 17 of the 22 studies examined were on digital therapeutics applied in the treatment of language disorders. In the research papers examined, the technologies applied were virtual reality and augmented reality, with augmented reality used in most cases. The effects of applying digital treatment were positive, and most studies focused on content development in relation to the development of digital treatment, although one study was conducted for app development. Future studies could examine the application of digital therapeutics to more diverse communication disorder subjects. Active government support is expected in developing more sophisticated software that can be applied using a wider range of technologies in the field of digital therapeutics to treat more communication disorders.

• Archives of Obesity and Metabolism
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.47-52
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• 2022

Digital therapeutics (DTx) are emerging as a novel solution to improve lifestyle and prevent non-communicable diseases. Obesity is a complex, multi-factorial, chronic condition that requires patient-centered lifestyle modification. DTx, such as mobile applications and wearables, may offer easily accessible, efficient, and personalized care in the field of obesity and metabolic diseases. Yet, there is controversy over its clinical usefulness. This review will provide a comprehensive overview of DTx, including its potential role and current limitation in obesity care, based on recent literature.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.72-86
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• 2023

Objectives: The medical field is rapidly evolving with AI and digital technologies like AI-based X-ray analysis and digital therapeutics gaining approval. Telemedicine is becoming prominent, and medical schools are adapting by integrating AI education. Pusan National University leads a talent training project for AI in health. Korean Medicine is incorporating AI with diagnostic systems and chatbots. However, there's a lack of research on education awareness in Korean Medicine Colleges. The study aims to assess opinions on integrating AI, digital therapeutics, and DNA test into the Korean medicine college curriculum for improved education. Methods: We selected appropriate four specific areas: artificial intelligence in medicine, digital therapeutics, DNA test, and telemedicine. The questionnaire developed for this study underwent expert evaluation and was subsequently administered to registered KMDs of the Association of Korean Medicine, as well as students from 12 Korean Medicine universities. The survey was designed to analyze the awareness and perceived importance of the 4 areas. Results: Both KMDs and Korean medicine students exhibited comparable awareness levels across the four objectives. Notably, both groups identified a high educational necessity and importance of artificial intelligence in medicine for clinical settings. Statistically significant differences were observed between KMDs and students in their perspectives on the importance of telemedicine and DNA test in the Korean medicine field, the educational necessity of DNA test within Korean medicine universities, and the need for comprehension of regulations related to digital therapeutics. Conclusion: The survey of Korean medicine professionals and students underscores a strong understanding of key areas such as Telemedicine, medical AI, DNA test, and digital therapeutics. Medical AI is identified as crucial for future education. There's a consensus on the need for curriculum changes in Korean medicine schools, particularly in adapting to evolving healthcare trends. The focus should be on practical clinical application, with a call for additional research to better integrate student and practitioner perspectives in future curriculum reform discussions.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.313-323
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to explore ways a digital therapeutics-based community care plans for the rehabilitation in dysarthria in a situation where non-face-to-face services are expanding in the COVID-19 era. To this end, a qualitative study was conducted on experts working in hospitals, speech-language pathology centers, and social welfare centers, and as a result of the study, 3 topics, 9 sub-themes, and 18 content units were derived. Based on the analysis results, the digital therapeutics-based community care model consisted of 9 types: remote diagnosis, telepractice, rehabilitation training program, peer supporters, clinical support, communication, psychosocial intervention, and care plan services. This study will be able to provide basic data for health care & welfare services using digital therapeutics and guidelines for establishing shared care plans based on multidisciplinary cooperation.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.73-81
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• 2024

As the demand for a healthy life increases and the use of information technology expands, interest in digital healthcare has increased. Among the digital healthcare technologies, digital therapeutics (DTx), which are capable of disease prevention, management, and treatment rather than simple healthcare, are expected to play a key role in future healthcare services. As interest in untact remote treatment that can minimize the risk of viral infection has rapidly increased since the spread of COVID-19, the application of DTx has received much attention because it can partially replace face-to-face treatment for mental illnesses, chronic diseases, and other diseases, reducing concerns about infection. In addition, because of the nature of software, DTx have lower toxicity and fewer side effects than existing treatments and do not require manufacturing, transportation, and storage like general medicines. Hence, they can be supplied in large quantities at low cost and have the advantage of lowering medical costs. However, despite these advantages, it has been pointed out that there are difficulties in investment and universal use because of the complexity of pricing and malpractice compensation. In other words, if it is difficult to prove and measure the improvements in disease management and treatment using DTx and it takes a considerable amount of time and money to do so, it will be difficult to attract investment from stakeholders such as medical providers and pharmaceutical companies. In this paper, we examine the domestic and global application status and development trends of DTx and determine the relevant implications.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.9-18
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• 2024

Digital therapy has emerged as a novel treatment modality, propelled by advancements in information and communication technology. In the last five years, there has been a substantial surge in research publications addressing digital therapeutics (DTx) interventions, signaling a sustained upward trajectory in this field. The dynamic nature of computer science, marked by continuous innovation and development, underscores the need for agile adaptation to rapid changes. Consequently, computer science education is compelled to offer students insights into the latest trends. This research endeavors to contribute to the evolving landscape by developing textbooks that impart knowledge about DTx, an integration of information technology. The study focuses on the application of these textbooks to elementary and middle school students in South Korea. The instructional materials have been carefully organized to enable students to learn about the principle of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) DTx at the elementary level and the DTx that can prevent and address the digital drama at the middle school level. Based on the application of the textbook, students who received instruction using the textbook showed statistically significant improvements in all subcategories of creative problem-solving ability, including idea modification, visualization, task focus, analogy, idea generation, and elaboration (p<.01). Additionally, there were statistically significant changes in students' self-efficacy before and after using the textbook, with negative efficacy decreasing, and positive efficacy and social efficacy increasing (p<.001).