OBJECTIVETo observe the primary prevention role of Wuling Capsule (WC) on poststroke depression (PSD) patients.

METHODSAcute stroke patients were recruited and randomized into 2 groups by stratification, 55 in each group. All patients received same routine treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Patients in the experimental group additionally took WC (0.33 g each pill), 3 pills per day, three times per day; while those in the control group additionally took placebos, 3 pills per day, three times per day. Two weeks consisted of one therapeutic course. The diagnosis of PSD was performed once every other week. Those in accordance with PSD diagnosis discontinued any drug therapy. Those not in accordance with PSD diagnosis continued the drug therapy for 1-12 therapeutic course(s) (in total of 6 months). If they were still not in accordance with PSD diagnosis, then they discontinued the drug therapy. The morbidity of PSD, the average time of depression occurrence, Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) score, and adverse reactions were observed.

RESULTSThe 1-, 3-, and 6-month morbidity of PSD was 8%, 16%, and 34% in the experimental group, while they were 19.6%, 29.4%, and 54.9% in the control group. The occurrence rate was lower in the experimental group than in the control group. Besides, there was statistical difference in the 6-month occurrence rate between the two groups (chi2 = 4.465, P < 0.05). The average time of PSD occurrence was longer in the experimental group than in the control group (14.96 +/- 8.31 weeks vs. 9.36 +/- 6.06 weeks; t=6.762, P < 0.05). The HAMD score at the PSD occurrence was 11.96 +/- 2.14 in the experimental group, lower than that of the control group (14.57 +/- 4.24), showing statistical difference (t=5.641, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWC was superior to the placebos in lowering the incidence of PSD, delaying the occurrence time of PSD, attenuating the depression degree of PSD, and had certain preventive effect on the incidence of PSD.

Aged ; Capsules ; Depression ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Primary Prevention ; Stroke ; complications

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of music therpy on anxiety and depression in patients undergoing hemodialysis. METHOD: The study was designed using a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects consisted of 36 patients (Experimental group: 18, Control group: 18) who received hemodialysis in three hospitals located in Seoul. The measures were a Music Preference Questionnaire (MPQ), anxiety measurement, and depression measurement. Data was collected from December 26, 2004 to April 2, 2005 through questionnaires. The collected data was analyzed by the SPSS 10.0 program. RESULT: The first hypothesis that patients undergoing hemodialysis who received music therapy would have less anxiety than patients undergoing hemodialysis who did not receive music therapy was supported (F=8.05, p=.008). The second hypothesis that patient undergoing hemodialysis who received music therapy would have less depression than patients undergoing hemodialysis who did not receive music therapy was supported(F=11.86, p=.002). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that music therapy may be applied as a method of nursing intervention contributing to the improvement of quality life by reducing their anxiety and depression of patients undergoing hemodialysis.
Adult ; Anxiety/etiology/*prevention & control ; Depression/etiology/*prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Music Therapy/*methods ; Quality of Life ; Questionnaires ; Relaxation Therapy ; Renal Dialysis/*psychology

PURPOSE: Despite the high prevalence of back pain and its subsequent effects in post-partum women, intervention programs are scarce. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of a back-pain-reducing program on post-partum women who experienced low-back pain during pregnancy. METHODS: A non-equivalent control-group pretest-posttest design was used. Pregnant women who attended a hospital for prenatal check-ups and experienced back pain participated in an intervention program (n=27), and the results were compared with women in a control group from another hospital (n=25). RESULTS: At 8 weeks post-partum, the pain intensity, functional limitations were lower in the intervention group than in the control group. However, differences in mean change of the pain intensity and functional limitations between 36 and 39 weeks of gestation and at 8 weeks post-partum were not statistically significant between the groups. Moreover, the flexibility, post-partum functional status, and post-partum depression did not differ significantly between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: A back-pain-relief program in this study was not effective to reduce the back-pain intensity in post-partum women and to decrease the associated functional limitations. The implications for nursing practice and directions for future research are discussed.
Activities of Daily Living ; Adult ; Back Pain/psychology/*therapy ; Depression, Postpartum/etiology ; Exercise ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Patient Education as Topic ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications/*therapy ; *Prenatal Care ; Puerperal Disorders/*prevention & control

INTRODUCTIONThis study aimed to examine how improving infant sleep impacted the emotional well-being of mothers.

METHODSThe participants were 80 mothers of infants aged 6-12 months; they attended a primary care medical clinic in Adelaide, Australia, for assistance with infant sleep problems. Behavioural intervention consisted of a 45-minute consultation, where verbal and written information describing sleep physiology and strategies to improve infant sleep was provided. Mothers were followed up 2-6 weeks later. Mothers rated their confidence (C), pleasure (P) and frustration (F) on a scale from 0 to 10, and completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 at each consultation. The number of night-time awakenings and time taken to see an improvement in infant sleep were also reported.

RESULTSThere was a significant increase in the C and P scores, and a significant decrease in the F scores (all p < 0.001). The mean total CPF score increased significantly from 14 to 25 (maximum score = 30). There was also a significant decrease in depression, anxiety and stress in the mothers (all p < 0.001). The mean number of maximum night awakenings also decreased significantly, from 4.9 to 0.5 (p < 0.001). The mean time taken to see improved infant sleep, as reported by the mothers, was 2.8 nights.

CONCLUSIONA single consultation using a behavioural strategy to improve infant sleep was effective in improving infant sleep and in increasing maternal emotional well-being. In particular, the scores for 'pleasure in being a mother' increased dramatically.

Adult ; Australia ; Depression, Postpartum ; etiology ; prevention & control ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Care ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Mother-Child Relations ; Mothers ; psychology ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; complications ; prevention & control

Workplace violence is related to various health effects including mental illness such as anxiety or depression. In this study, the relationship between the experience of workplace violence and depression in substitute drivers in Korea, namely, daeri drivers, was investigated. To assess workplace violence, questions regarding types and frequency of the experience of violence over the past year were asked to the daeri drivers. In order to assess the risk of depression, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale was used. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals of depression were estimated using multiple logistic regression analysis. All of the daeri drivers had experienced instance of verbal violence while driving and 66 of the drivers (34.1%) had been in such a situation more than once in the past quarter of a year. Sixty-eight daeri drivers (42.2%) had experienced certain type of physical violence over the past year. Compared to daeri drivers who had experienced workplace verbal violence less than 4 times and who had not experienced workplace physical violence over the past year, higher odds ratio was observed in daeri drivers who had experienced workplace verbal violence or physical violence, more than 4 times and more than one time respectively, after adjustment. Experience of verbal or physical type of workplace violence over the past year increased the risk of depression in the daeri drivers. Because violence against drivers can compromise the safety of the driver, the customer, and all the passengers, it is imperative that the safety and health of daeri drivers be highlighted.
Adult ; Aged ; *Automobile Driving/psychology ; Depression/epidemiology/*etiology ; Driving Under the Influence/prevention & control/psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Health ; Odds Ratio ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; *Workplace Violence

PURPOSE: This study was designed to examine the effects of a bereavement intervention program on levels of depression and life satisfaction in middle aged widows in Korea. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design with non-equivalent control-group pretest-posttest was used. The subjects (control group, n = 10; intervention group, n = 17) were bereaved less than 6 months in G City and J Province, Korea. The bereavement intervention program consisted of Dan-jeon breathing, self-help group activities and a health examination. The experimental group attended 10 sessions of a bereavement intervention program. The control group had a health examination without the intervention program. For both groups, the level of depression and life satisfaction levels were measured before and after the experiment. RESULTS: The decrement of depression level in the experimental group was significantly greater than in the control group (p<.001). The increment in life satisfaction in the experimental group was significantly greater than in the control group (p<.001). CONCLUSION: The results suggested that the bereavement intervention program was effective in decreasing level of depression and in increasing the life satisfaction of widows. Accordingly, a bereavement intervention program can be applied as an intervention to help widows.
Adult ; Attitude to Health ; *Bereavement ; Breathing Exercises ; Depression/diagnosis/etiology/*prevention & control/psychology ; Exercise Therapy ; Female ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Health Status ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Change Events ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Nursing Evaluation Research ; *Personal Satisfaction ; Physical Examination ; Program Evaluation ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Quality of Life/psychology ; Questionnaires ; Self-Help Groups/*organization & administration ; Widowhood/*psychology

PURPOSE: A quasi-experimental study was performed to investigate the effects of a home visiting discharge education program on the maternal self-esteem, attachment, postpartum depression and family function in 35 mothers of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infants. METHODS: Twenty-three mothers in the intervention group received the home visiting discharge education while 12 mothers in the control group received the routine, hospital discharge education. Baseline data was collected in both groups one day after delivery. The intervention group received the home visiting discharge education while the control group did the routine hospital-based discharge education. The questionnaire including the data on maternal self-esteem, attachment, postpartum depression and family function were collected within 1week after the discharge by mail. RESULTS: The scores of maternal self-esteem, and attachment were significantly increased, and the postpartum depression and the family function score were decreased after the home visiting discharge education in intervention group. There were no changes in these variables before and after the routine hospital-based discharge education in control group. CONCLUSION: These results support the beneficial effects of home visiting discharge education on the maternal role adaptation and family function of the mothers of NICU infants.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Aftercare/organization & administration ; Attitude to Health ; Depression, Postpartum/diagnosis/etiology/*prevention & control ; *Family Health ; Female ; Home Care Services/*organization & administration ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; *Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Korea ; Male ; *Mother-Child Relations ; *Mothers/education/psychology ; Nursing Evaluation Research ; Patient Discharge ; Postnatal Care/organization & administration ; Program Evaluation ; Public Health Nursing/*organization & administration ; Questionnaires ; *Self Concept