PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency between male and female Korean adolescents and to investigate gender-specific factors associated with vitamin D deficiency. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study included 975 adolescents aged 12-18 years who participated in the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010~2011). Multiple logistic regression using complex sample analysis was performed to examine gender-specific factors associated with vitamin D deficiency with adjustments for covariates. RESULTS: Among the participants, 82.9% had vitamin D deficiency. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was higher among female adolescents (88.4%) than their male counterparts (78.4%). A rural place of residence (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.19~0.87; p=.021) and daily milk intake (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.07~0.75; p=.015) were significant factors significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency in males, while body mass index (OR, 8.40; 95% CI, 1.05~67.04, p=.045) and having breakfast (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.10~0.49; p < .001) showed significant relationships in females. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide preliminary evidence for developing effective strategies to prevent vitamin D deficiency in Korean adolescents. The different factors influencing vitamin D deficiency in males and females should be considered when providing interventions.
Adolescent* ; Body Mass Index ; Breakfast ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Milk ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Prevalence ; Vitamin D Deficiency* ; Vitamin D* ; Vitamins*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate partnerships with nurses, social support and readiness for discharge among mothers of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and to examine the factors associated with readiness for discharge.METHODS: A survey was conducted among 85 mothers of premature infants hospitalized in a NICU in Seoul, Korea. The collected data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, the t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson' correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression using SPSS version 25.0.RESULTS: The results of the regression analysis showed that partnerships with nurses (β=.32, p=.011) and parenting experience (β=.32, p=.001) were significantly associated with readiness for discharge.CONCLUSION: To improve the readiness for discharge among mothers of premature infants, developing strategies to strengthen their partnership with nurses and to provide family-centered care will be needed.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Mothers ; Parenting ; Parents ; Patient Discharge ; Seoul

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the relationships between particulate matter risk perception, knowledge, and perceived barriers and health-promoting behaviors among college students. METHODS: Data for this cross-sectional study were collected from September 1 to 30, 2017. The study sample consisted of 85 students from a university, Seoul. Students not living in the Seoul metropolitan area during the spring 2017 semester were excluded from participation. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to identify relationships among study variables. RESULTS: A significant positive correlation existed between particulate matter risk perception and health-promoting behaviors related to particulate matter (r=.51, p < .001). Among the risk perception subdomains, attention (r=.47, p < .001) and health effect (r=.55, p < .001) showed strong positive relationships with health-promoting behaviors. No significant relationships were found between knowledge (r=.12, p=.288) or perceived barriers (r=−.12, p=.264) and health-promoting behaviors related to particulate matter. CONCLUSION: Based on the study results, strategies for enhancing particulate matter risk perception are needed to increase the level of health-promoting behaviors related to particulate matter among college students.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Particulate Matter ; Seoul

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the profile of graduates from accelerated second-degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs and to analyze the relative efficiency of nursing colleges using data envelopment analysis. Methods: An online survey link was emailed to the deans of nursing colleges, who were then asked to send the link to graduates of the respective colleges. The survey questionnaire included demographics, reasons for applying to the accelerated second-degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, employment after graduation, and nursing career satisfaction. Results: Sixty-two graduates of the accelerated second-degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program responded to the survey. The mean age at admission was 24.28 (± 3.01) years. Reasons for applying to the accelerated second-degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program were primarily increasing job security and using it as a stepping stone to another career. Nursing career job satisfaction was 4.81 (± 1.07) and more than 82% recommended this program. The data envelopment analysis found the average efficiency score to be 0.84 (± 0.20) and 4 nursing colleges to be relatively efficient. Conclusion The accelerated second-degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program can be considered to be an effective means to produce quality nurses with non-nursing bachelor degrees in a short time; however, outcomes of this program need to be systematically monitored to maintain quality level. Through this, competent nurses with knowledge of adjacent studies will be added to the nursing workforce.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify changes in sleep patterns and fatigue levels during consecutive night shifts among shift nurses and to determine the association between sleep parameters and increased fatigue levels during work. Methods: This prospective observational study employing ecological momentary assessments was conducted using data collected from 98 shift nurses working in Korean hospitals between June 2019 and February 2021. The sleep patterns were recorded using actigraphy. The participants reported their fatigue levels at the beginning and end of each night shift in real time via a mobile link. Linear mixed models were used for the analysis. Results: Nurses spent significantly less time in bed and had shorter sleep durations during consecutive night shifts than on off-duty days, whereas their wake times after sleep onset were much longer on off-duty days than on on-duty days. Fatigue levels were higher on the second and third night-shift days than on the first night-shift days. A shorter time spent in bed and asleep was associated with a greater increase in fatigue levels at the end of the shift than at the beginning. Conclusion Nurses experience significant sleep deprivation during consecutive night shifts compared with off-duty days, and this sleep shortage is associated with a considerable increase in fatigue levels at the end of shifts. Nurse managers and administrators must ensure sufficient intershift recovery time during consecutive night shifts to increase the time spent in bed and sleeping.

We investigated the diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for restaging of treated uterine cervix squamous cell cancer with tumor maker elevation that was not explained by other conventional evaluation. We enrolled 32 cases who underwent PET/CT for the restaging of treated cervical cancer with tumor marker elevation that was not explained by recent conventional evaluation. All enrolled cases had squamous cell carcinoma. Increased tumor markers included squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC Ag) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). PET/CT findings were determined by pathologic confirmation or clinical follow-up. We compared PET/CT accuracy and clinical parameters including normalization of tumor markers in both the SCC Ag elevation group and the CEA elevation group. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of PET/CT in detecting recurrence were 100%, 83.3%, 82.4%, and 100%, respectively. Accuracy was significantly different between the SCC Ag elevation group and the CEA elevation group (p=0.0169). PET/CT with SCC Ag elevation was more accurate (100%) than PET/CT with CEA elevation (66.7%). Normalization of tumor markers was observed more often in the SCC Ag elevation group than in the CEA elevation group (p=0.0429). PET/CT showed high negative predictive value and sensitivity in the restaging of cervical cancer with unexplained tumor marker elevation. PET/CT was more accurate in patients with SCC Ag elevation than in those with CEA elevation.
Antigens, Neoplasm ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri ; Electrons ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Squamous Cell ; Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography ; Recurrence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Serpins ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Background: Presenteeism is closely related to work performance, work quality and quantity, and productivity at work. According to the job demand-control-support model, job demand, job control, and support play important roles in presenteeism. The present study investigated job characteristics profiles based on the job demand-control-support model and identify the association between job characteristics profiles and presenteeism. Methods: This secondary data analysis used the Sixth Korean Working Condition Survey, a nationwide cross-sectional dataset. The study included 25,361 Korean wage workers employed in the workplace with two or more workers. Participants were classified into four job characteristics profiles based on the job demand-control-support model, using latent profile analysis, and logistic regression was performed to examine the association between study variables. Results: Overall, 11.0 % of study participants reported experience of presenteeism in the past 12 months. Age, sex, location, monthly income, shift work, work hours, health problems, and sleep disturbances were significantly associated with presenteeism. The rate of presenteeism was the highest in the passive isolate group. The passive collective, active collective, and low-stain collective groups had a 23.0%, 21.0%, and 29.0% lower likelihood of experiencing presenteeism, respectively, than the passive isolate group. Conclusions The job demand-control-support profiles and the risk of presenteeism were significantly associated. The most significant group that lowered the experience of presenteeism was the low-strain collective group, which had a low level of demand and high levels of control and support. Therefore, we need a policy to reduce job demand and increase job control and support at the organizational and national levels.

Objective: Baseline amyloid burden in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been linked to conversion to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the comparison of baseline and longitudinal changes in amyloid burden for predicting AD remains unresolved. The objectives of this study aimed to compare the prognostic ability of baseline and longitudinal changes in amyloid burden in MCI patients. Methods: Seventy-five individuals with MCI were recruited and examined annually by clinical interviews for a mean follow-up of 24 months (range, 11.6–42.0). [18F]Florbetaben positron emission tomography (PET) scans were performed. T1-weighted 3D volumes were acquired for co-registration, and to define regions of interest. We examined whether baseline and longitudinal amyloid burden changes can improve AD conversion by Cox proportional hazard model analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: Cox proportional hazards model analysis showed that baseline amyloid burden was significantly associated with increased risk of conversion to AD (hazard ratio [HR]=10.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15–85.39; p=0.04), but longitudinal amyloid burden changes was not (HR=0.2; 95% CI, 0.02–1.18; p=0.07). When predicting AD, longitudinal amyloid burden changes had better ROC accuracy of 65.2% (95% CI, 48.4–82.0) than baseline amyloid burden of 59.6% (95% CI, 40.3–79.0), without statistical significance in pairwise comparison. Conclusion A single baseline amyloid PET could be sufficient in the prediction of AD conversion in MCI.

Juvenile dermatomyositis is a common inflammatory muscle disease of childhood, characterized by weakness in proximal muscles and specific skin rash. In case of juvenile dermatomyositis without characteristic clinical features, non-invasive imaging tools such as (99m)Tc-HDP three-phase bone scan are very helpful in diagnostic workup of myopathies. We report a case of 13-year old female with juvenile dermatomyositis, in which (99m)Tc-HDP three-phase bone scan was useful in diagnosis and assessing therapy response.
Dermatomyositis ; Exanthema ; Female ; Humans ; Muscles ; Muscular Diseases ; Myositis

Acromegaly is a slowly progressing condition resulting from excess growth hormone (GH), generally caused by a GH-secreting pituitary adenoma. Cancer is the third most common cause of mortality in patients with acromegaly, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is known to influence tumor formation by increasing cell proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell neoplasm, and previous studies have suggested the possible role of IGF-1 in its development of MM. However, no cases of acromegaly accompanied with MM have been reported in Asia to date. We here report the case of a 58-year-old woman with acromegaly accompanied with MM who presented with longstanding acromegalic manifestations resulting from a GH-secreting pituitary adenoma and also exhibited anemia, a reversed albumin/globulin ratio, and plasmacytosis on bone marrow examination. Because IGF-1 has been suggested to play an important role in the development and progression of MM, the patient promptly underwent surgical removal of the pituitary adenoma via a transsphenoidal approach. Since there is currently no consensus on therapeutic guidelines and suggested prognosis for MM with acromegaly, long-term follow-up of such cases is needed.
Acromegaly* ; Anemia ; Apoptosis ; Asia ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Cell Proliferation ; Consensus ; Female ; Growth Hormone ; Growth Hormone-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Neoplasms, Plasma Cell ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Prognosis