Background: Many children and adolescents are surrounded by smartphones, tablets, and computers and know how to search the internet for almost any information. However, very few of them know how to select proper information from reliable sources. This can become a problem when health issues are concerned, where it is vital to identify incorrect or misleading information. The competence to critically evaluate digital information on health issues is of increasing importance for adolescents.Objective: The aim of this study was to assess how children and adolescents rate their internet-based health literacy and how their actual literacy differs from their ratings. In addition, there was a question on how their search performance is related to their self-efficacy. To evaluate these questions, a criteria-based analysis of the quality of the websites they visited was performed. Finally, the possibility to increase their internet-based health literacy in a 3-day workshop was explored.Methods: A workshop with a focus on health literacy was attended by 14 children and adolescents in an Austrian secondary school. After prior assessments (Culture Fair Intelligence Test, revised German version; Reading Speed and Reading Comprehension Test for Grades 6 to 12, German; electronic health literacy scale [eHEALS]; and General Self-Efficacy Scale, Reversed Version, German), the students were asked to perform an internet-based search on a health-related issue. Browser histories and screenshots of all internet searches were gathered, clustered, and analyzed. After the workshop, the health literacy of the students was assessed again by using the eHEALS.Results: The 14 students opened a total of 85 homepages, but only eight of these homepages were rated as good or fair by two experts (independent rating) based on specific criteria. The analysis showed that the students judged their own internet-based health literacy much higher than the actual value, and students who had rated themselves better did not visit websites of high quality. Internet-based health literacy correlated significantly with the self-efficacy of the students (rs=0.794, P=.002).Conclusions: Our study showed that it is possible to draw the attention of students to critical aspects of internet search and to slightly improve their search competence in a workshop. Targeted improvement of health literacy is urgently required, and students need special instruction for this purpose. Further investigations in this area with larger sets of data, which could be feasible with the help of a computer program, are urgently needed.

Objectives: Obesity has been suggested as a possible risk factor for the post-COVID-19 condition, but most studies rely only on body mass index (BMI), which does not reflect body fat distribution. Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) is a simple anthropometric indicator of central obesity and a practical proxy for body fat distribution, yet it has not been studied in relation to the post-COVID-19 condition. This study aimed to examine whether obesity, measured by BMI and WHtR, is associated with the post-COVID-19 condition. Methods: A total of 500 male military conscripts (aged 18 years) underwent anthropometric measurements (height, weight, and waist circumference). Participants with prior COVID-19 were asked whether they had persistent or new symptoms after infection. BMI categories followed WHO definitions, and WHtR ≥ 0.50 was used to define central obesity. Results: Of the 376 participants who had previously experienced COVID-19, 82 (21%) experienced the post-COVID-19 condition. Obesity (BMI ≥ 30) was more common among those with the post-COVID-19 condition than those without (15% vs. 5%). BMI-defined obesity was associated with higher odds of the post-COVID-19 condition (OR 2.80, 95%CI 1.25–6.24). Central obesity was also more frequent in the post-COVID-19 condition (26% vs. 14%) and was linked to increased odds as well (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.20–3.97). Conclusions: Both BMI-defined obesity and central obesity were associated with the post-COVID-19 condition. While WHtR does not directly quantify body fat distribution, it represents a simple and feasible anthropometric indicator. Therefore, it may be an additional useful tool for identifying individuals at higher risk of prolonged symptoms after COVID-19 infection.

BACKGROUND Many children and adolescents are surrounded by smartphones, tablets, and computers and know how to search the internet for almost any information. However, very few of them know how to select proper information from reliable sources. This can become a problem when health issues are concerned, where it is vital to identify incorrect or misleading information. The competence to critically evaluate digital information on health issues is of increasing importance for adolescents. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess how children and adolescents rate their internet-based health literacy and how their actual literacy differs from their ratings. In addition, there was a question on how their search performance is related to their self-efficacy. To evaluate these questions, a criteria-based analysis of the quality of the websites they visited was performed. Finally, the possibility to increase their internet-based health literacy in a 3-day workshop was explored. METHODS A workshop with a focus on health literacy was attended by 14 children and adolescents in an Austrian secondary school. After prior assessments (Culture Fair Intelligence Test, revised German version; Reading Speed and Reading Comprehension Test for Grades 6 to 12, German; electronic health literacy scale [eHEALS]; and General Self-Efficacy Scale, Reversed Version, German), the students were asked to perform an internet-based search on a health-related issue. Browser histories and screenshots of all internet searches were gathered, clustered, and analyzed. After the workshop, the health literacy of the students was assessed again by using the eHEALS. RESULTS The 14 students opened a total of 85 homepages, but only eight of these homepages were rated as good or fair by two experts (independent rating) based on specific criteria. The analysis showed that the students judged their own internet-based health literacy much higher than the actual value, and students who had rated themselves better did not visit websites of high quality. Internet-based health literacy correlated significantly with the self-efficacy of the students (rs=0.794, P=.002). CONCLUSIONS Our study showed that it is possible to draw the attention of students to critical aspects of internet search and to slightly improve their search competence in a workshop. Targeted improvement of health literacy is urgently required, and students need special instruction for this purpose. Further investigations in this area with larger sets of data, which could be feasible with the help of a computer program, are urgently needed.

Negative‐pressure‐wound‐therapy is commonly used in clinical routine for wound management. Aim of the present study was to assess the feasibility and safety of using an additional container to collect wound fluid during ongoing negative‐pressure‐wound‐therapy. In this present prospective observational study, patients with negative‐pressure‐wound‐therapy were included. An additional container was inserted in the connecting tube between the wound and the vacuum generating device. The following 3 days, the container was changed daily and replaced by a new one. Further safety outcome parameters were assessed. A questionnaire was answered by the responsible surgeon. Twenty‐two patients with negative‐pressure‐wound‐therapy with a median (IQR) age of 58.5 (53.0‐70.0) years were included in the present study. In median, the duration of negative‐pressure‐wound‐therapy was 5.0 (4.6‐5.5) days. In mean ± SD the collected volume of the wound fluid in millilitres (mL) was on day one 7 ± 4 on day two 8 ± 7 and 10 ± 11 on day three. In one patient, there was <0.1 mL of clear water in the additional container. No safety concerns due to the additional container were observed. This study demonstrates that collecting wound fluid during ongoing negative‐pressure‐wound‐therapy over a time period of 3 days is feasible and safe. No safety concerns were observed.

Zusammenfassung: Die Behandlung von chronischen Wunden ist meist eine große Herausforderung für alle Beteiligten. Oft ist der Weg bis zur Heilung langwierig und frustran, sodass verschiedene Therapieversuche durchgeführt werden müssen, bis eine Heilung erzielt wird. In dieser retrospektiven Fallbeschreibung berichten wir über den Behandlungserfolg durch die Therapie mit einem Hyaluronsäureester-Flies, den wir bei 6 Patient*innen mit chronischen Wunden unterschiedlicher Genese erzielen konnten. Alle Patient*innen bekamen zusätzlich Kompressionsbandagen oder Kompressionsstrümpfe, zwei zusätzlich eine Druckentlastung und alle wurden, wenn nötig, debridiert. Die chronischen Wunden von 5 der 6 Patient*innen heilten vollständig oder nur mit einem minimalen Restdefekt ab, 1 Patient war weiterhin therapieresistent. Speziell bei Patient*innen mit Grunderkrankungen, welche eine erfolgreiche Therapie besonders erschweren, konnten wir feststellen, dass durch eine Behandlung mit Hyaluronsäureestern dennoch gute Erfolge erzielt werden können.

Objectives: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a prevalent chronic inflammatory upper airway disease. Despite a higher radiological disease burden in males, clinical CRS diagnoses are disproportionately registered in females, suggesting systematic underdiagnosis in young men. The 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) represents the reference patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for sinonasal symptom burden. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sinonasal symptom burden and to identify associated clinical, laboratory, and lifestyle parameters in a large cohort of young male adults. Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, 500 young male adults underwent, as part of the conscription examination, standardized assessment including the SNOT-22, spirometry (FEV₁%), whole blood count (eosinophils), and serum CRP. SNOT-22 scores were categorized as none (0–20), moderate (21–50), and severe (>50). Associations were analyzed using Spearman correlation, Mann–Whitney U, and Chi² tests. Results: The mean SNOT-22 score was 18.8 (SD 15.2; range 0–73). A total of 38.2% of participants scored ≥21, indicating at least moderate sinonasal symptom burden. SNOT-22 correlated significantly with CRP (r = 0.117, p = 0.009) and inversely with relative FEV₁% (r = −0.103, p = 0.022). Eosinophils showed a numeric gradient across SNOT-22 categories (3.08% vs. 3.31% vs. 3.56%) without reaching significance. Conclusions: More than one third of young male adults reported significant self-reported sinonasal symptom burden. Symptom severity was associated with systemic inflammatory markers and reduced pulmonary function, supporting the unified airway concept. These findings support the utility of SNOT-22 as a low-threshold assessment tool for self-reported sinonasal symptom burden in preventive health examinations.