PURPOSE: This study examined the relation of BMI to lipid metabolism and health promoting behavior in middle-aged women. METHODS: The subjects were 113 women between 40 to 60 years of age. The data was collected from April 2003 to July 2004. BMI was measured using body composition analyzer and lipid metabolism were measured using automatic biochemical analyzer. Health promoting behavior was collected using a structured questionnaire. The SPSSWIN(10.0 version) program was used to analyze the data and get the descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficients. RESULTS: BMI was negatively correlated with HDL-c and positively correlated with triglyceride, but there was no significance between BMI and total cholesterol. There was no significance of correlation between BMI and total health-promoting behavior. CONCLUSION: This study showed that BMI is meaningful in the identification of the high risk women to prevent HDL-c & triglyceride metabolism disturbance, but additional research is needed to study the correlation between BMI and health promoting behaviors in middle-aged women.
Body Composition ; Cholesterol ; Female ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism* ; Metabolism ; Triglycerides ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was to test the effects of a full body massage on labor pain and delivery stress reaction for primipara during labor. METHOD: This study employed a quasi- experimental method(nonequivalent control group, pre-post test design). The subjects of this study were 57 primipara hospitalized at the U OB & GYN hospital in Inchon from November 1. 2001 to July 31, 2002. 28 women were assigned to the experimental group and 29 to the control group. The experimental group was given 20 minutes full body massage for each of three delivery phases. The control group was given conventional delivery care. The levels of labor pain were measured by the Visual Analogue Scale and the expression scores of the labor pain and the levels of delivery stress reaction were measured by pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure, and State-Anxiety Scale. Data were analyzed using the repeated measures analysis of covariance(ANCOVA), t-test, X(2)- test, simple ANCOVA with SPSS program. RESULT: There was no interaction effect between time and group(F=.370, p=.693), but significant time effects were found for subjective labor pain(F=3.840, p=.028). There was no interaction effect between time and group(F=.112, p=.894), but significant group effects were found for objective labor pain(F=12.299, p=.001). There was no interaction effect between time and group for PR(F=.172, p=.843), RR(F=.626, p=.539), SBP(F=.089, p=.915), DBP(F=.748, p=.479), but significant group effects were found for SBP(F=7.547, p=.008). The level of status anxiety of the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group(F=11.787, p=.001). CONCLUSION: This study showed that the full body massage has partially positive effect on labor pain and delivery stress reaction. Therefore this study suggested that the full body massage might be used clinically to help primipara during labor.
Anxiety ; Blood Pressure ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Incheon ; Labor Pain* ; Massage* ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Rate

PURPOSE: This study is designed to test the effects of a full body massage on Apgar score, postpartum mother's childbirth experience, and mother-infant attachment for primipara during labor. METHOD: Data were collected using a quasi-experiment method (nonequivalent control group, pre-post test design) from November 1, 2001 to July 31, 2002. The subjects for this experiment consist of 28 women in the experimental group and 29 in the control group, out of 57 primipara hospitalized at the U OB & GYN hospital in Inchon. A 20 minute full body massage was given to the experimental group on each of three delivery phases (latent, active, and transition), and a conventional delivery care to the control group. The experimental tools for the study are Apgar score scale developed by Apgar(1958), postpartum mother's childbirth experience scale developed by Marut and Mercer(1979), and mother-infant attachment scale developed by Cropley et al(1981). The data collected were analyzed using t-test, chi2 test, and ANCOVA on the SPSS program. RESULT: The results of the experiment are as follows: One minute(t=6.756, p=.000; F=9.181, p=.004), and five minute(t=6.129, p=.000; F=7.918, p=.007) Apgar score are increased significantly. Postpartum mother's childbirth experience is significantly increased(t=11.691, p=.000; F=11.741, p=.001). Verbal touch score(t=5.256, p=.000; F=7.169, p=.010), skin touch score(t=11.332, p=.000; F=27.073, p=.000), and total score(t=12.105, p=.000; F=30.104, p=.000) of postpartum mother's childbirth experience are significantly increased, but not for eye touch score(t=3.236, p=.002; F=.800, p=.375). CONCLUSION: This study shows that a full body massage has a significant positive effect on Apgar score, postpartum mother's childbirth experience. and mother-infant attachment. Therefore, it is suggested that the full body massage might be used clinically to help primipara during labor.
Apgar Score* ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Humans ; Incheon ; Massage* ; Parturition* ; Postpartum Period ; Skin ; Child Health

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the correlations among climacteric symptoms, knowledge of menopause and health promoting behavior in middle-aged women. METHOD: 1,360 women between 40-60 years of age living in Incheon, were asked to complete a questionnaire on their health. The data was collected between October 10th and October 30th, 2002. The data was analyzed using T-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficients with SPSS/pc program. RESULT: The variables significantly affecting climacteric symptoms, knowledge of menopause and health promoting behavior were education, perceived health status and family health problems. The relationship between knowledge of menopause and health promoting behavior was statistically significant with a positive correlation. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of menopause by middle aged women was in positively correlated with health promoting behavior. Therefore, based on this study, we plan to develop a health education program to promote knowledge of menopause and health promoting behavior.
Climacteric* ; Education ; Family Health ; Female ; Health Education ; Humans ; Incheon ; Menopause* ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires

This study was designed to test the effects of a full body massage on uterine contraction, length of labor, type of delivery, and drug intervention for primipara during labor. Data were collected using a quasi-experiment method (nonequivalent control group, pre-post test design) from November 1, 2001 to July 31, 2002. The subjects of this experiment consisted of 28 women in the experimental group and 29 in the control group, out of 57 primipara hospitalized at the U OB & GYN hospital in Inchon. The experimental group was given a 20 minute full body massage for each of the three delivery phases (latent, active, and transition). The control group was given conventional delivery care. Three (3) parameters were analyzed in this experiment. (1) The interval, duration, and strength of uterine contraction, using an electric tocodynamometer (2) The elapsed time for stage 1 and stage 2 labor. (3) The types of deliveries and drug interventions, using postpartum medical records The data collected were analyzed using the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-test, and X(2) test of the SPSS program. The results of the experiment are as follows: 1) Uterine contraction interval was signifi- cantly reduced (F=3.210, p=.050). Duration of uterine contraction showed significant increase only during the transition phase (t=-2.319, p=.023). Strength of uterine contraction showed no significant difference. 2) Total length of labor was significantly shortened (t=-5.245, p=.000). The length of 1st stage labor was signifi- cantly shortened (t=-5.164, p=.000), with latent phase showing (t=-4.709, p=.000), active phase (t=-2.973, p=.005), and transition phase (t=-2.031, p=.047). The length of 2nd stage labor showed no significant difference. 3) The number of natural deliveries were significantly increased (X(2)=13.127, p=.004). 4) The number of drug interventions were significantly fewer (X(2)= 4.493, p=.034). In conclusion, this study shows that a full body massage has a significantly positive effect on uterine contraction interval, length of labor, type of delivery, and drug intervention. Therefore, this study suggests that a full body massage be used clinically to help primipara during labor.
Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Humans ; Incheon ; Massage* ; Medical Records ; Postpartum Period ; Uterine Contraction*

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the casual relationship between the factors in the Pender's model and to explain health promoting behaviors among middle-aged women in order to facilitate nursing interventions for this population group. METHOD: 116 women between 40~60 years old living in Incheon were asked to complete a questionnaire about their health. The data was collected between March and November, 2003. The data was analyzed by descriptive statistics and the correctional analysis SPSSWIN 11.5 program. The LISREL 8.12 program was used to find the best fit model which explained a causal relationship of the variables. RESULTS: The climacteric symptoms of middle-aged women negatively correlated with health promoting behaviors. However, marital satisfaction positively correlated with health promoting behaviors. CONCLUSION: Marital satisfaction and climacteric symptoms had an effect on health promoting behaviors. Therefore, based on this study, we plan to develop a health education program to decrease climacteric symptoms and to promote marital satisfaction for health promotion.
Socioeconomic Factors ; Middle Aged ; Korea ; Humans ; *Health Behavior ; Female ; Climacteric ; Body Mass Index ; Attitude to Health ; Adult

BACKGROUND: The psychosocial factors to the musculoskeletal disease has been studied recently as well as environmental factors. Type A behavior pattern which is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease may have relation to musculoskeletal disease, and the authors studied the relations for these variables. METHODS: The studied subjects were 511 housewives sampled without intention at Taejon city and we excluded 76 persons who had experiences of trauma at neck, shoulder or back region during recent one year on the data analysis. The musculoskeletal symptoms and type A behavior pattern were quantified as the score and the Spearmans correlation coefficient was used to reveal the statistical significance for the relations. RESULTS: Type A behavior pattern had the relation to the symptoms of neck, sboulder, and back region. For the sociodemographic variables, the relations were significant for the group of younger age, lower socioeconomic level, and the group having full time job, lower body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that type A behavior pattern was the possible risk factor for musculoskeletal disease, but more studies will be necessary to confirm the influence of behavior pattern to musculoskeletal disease.
Body Mass Index ; Coronary Disease ; Daejeon ; Humans ; Intention ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; Neck ; Psychology ; Risk Factors ; Shoulder ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of an exercise program on physical fitness, cardiopulmonary function and life satisfaction for adult women. METHOD: The exercise program combined dance and resistance training. The subject group consisted of 114 women aged between 33 and 60. Three 8-week sessions consisted of 55-80% HR max for 60-90 minutes a day and 3 times a week from March to November, 2004. Data were collected through pre- and post-exercise tests before and after each session. Data were collected with dynamometer, sphygmomamometer, spirometer and structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed employing descriptive statistics and paired t-test with SPSS/PC(10.0version) program. RESULTS: There were significantly positive changes in muscle strength, flexibility, balance quality, forced vital capacity and life satisfaction, but no significantly positive changes in agility and blood pressure. CONCLUSION: This study showed that an exercise program has partially positive effects for adult women. The results of this study suggest that there should be programs of continuous exercise at community health centers for adult women's health.
Adult* ; Blood Pressure ; Community Health Centers ; Female ; Humans ; Muscle Strength ; Physical Fitness* ; Pliability ; Resistance Training ; Vital Capacity ; Women's Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was carried out to identify the factor of decisional balance for exercise. This was composed of a set of variables at the level of decision making when the elderly decide to do exercise. It was used to classify and identify the characteristics of the stages of change for exercise to which the elderly belong, and was used to identify the variables of decisional balance which influence the stage of change for exercise in the elderly. METHODS: Convenient samples of 198 subjects over age 60 in Seoul( mean age=70) were selected from community living, mentally competant older adults and the data was collected from April 1, 1999 to May 31, 1999. The research instrument was the Decisional Balance Measure for Exercise(Marcus &Owen., 1992), Stage of Change Measure(Marcus et al,1992). The data was analyzed by SAS Program. RESULTS: 1. According to stage of change measure, without missing data,191 subjects were distributed in each stage of change for exercise: 50 subjects(26.1%), 7 subjects (3.6%), 52 subjects(27.2%), 4 subjects(2%), and 78(40.8%) belonged to the pre- contemplation stage, contemplation stage, preparation stage, action stage and maintenace stage. 2. Factor analysis identified 3 factors of decisional balance as appropriate factors for exercise of the elderly and named by researchers; 1)'Perceived Physical-psychological benefit', 2)'Perceived Physical-psychological burden', and 3)'Perceived time burden'. 3. The analysis of variance showed that the two components Perceived Physical - psychological benefit(F=45.95, P=.0001), and Perceived Physical-psychological burden (F=26.52, P=.0001) were significantly associated with stage of change. 4. Through the discriminant analysis, it was found that both 'Self Perceived Physical - Psychological benefit' and 'Perceived Physical-Psychological burden' were the influential variables in discriminating the three stages of change(pre-contemplation, preparation, and maintenance). CONCLUSION: Results are consistent with the application of the Transtheoretical model, which has been used to understand how people change health behaviors. Even though this study is a cross-sectional, not a longitudinal study, the findings of this study give useful information for exercise intervention about especially the factors relating to decision making for exercise of the elderly in the different stages of change of exercise.
Adult ; Aged* ; Decision Making ; Health Behavior ; Humans

The purpose of this study was to identify causal relationships among variables of transtheoretical model for exercise in the elderly. A predictivel model explaining the stage of change was constructed based on a transtheoretical model. Empirical data for testing the hypothetical model was collected from 198 old adults over 60 years old in a community setting in Seoul, Korea in April and May,1999. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and correlational analysis using pc-SAS program. The Linear Structural Modeling (LISREL) 8.0 program was used to find the best fit model which predicts causal relationship of variables. The fit of the hypothetical model to the data was X2=132.85. (df=22, p=.000). GFI=.88, NNFI=.35, NFI=.77, AGFI=.59 which was not favorable but the fit of modified model to the data was X2=46.90. (df=27, p=.01).GFI= .95, NNFI=.91, NFI=.92, AGFI=.87) which was more than moderate. The predictable variables of stage of change for exercise of the Korean elderly were helping relationship, self cognitive determination, conversion of negative condition in process of change and efficacy for exercise . These variables explained 68% of stage of change for exercise of the Korean elderly.
Adult ; Aged* ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Models, Structural ; Self Efficacy ; Seoul