PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a six week self-help empowerment strategy program on the empowerment status, pain intensity, physical function, joint flexibility and depression status in rheumatoid arthritis patients. METHOD: The subjects of the study consisted of a convenience sample thirteen rheumatoid arthritis patients. Data was collected from July to November, 2001. All patient received a self-help empowerment strategy program, once a week for six weeks. RESULT: After receiving the self-help empowerment strategy program, the empowerment status increased significantly, the pain intensity and the depression score decreased significantly and the level of physical function significantly improved but the flexibilities of shoulders, knees and ankles were not significantly changed. CONCLUSION: Further studies need to be done to determine the feasibility of implementing empowerment strategy and its possibility as an effective intervention program for decreasing pain intensity and depression score and improving the physical function.
Ankle ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Depression ; Humans ; Knee ; Power (Psychology)* ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Self-Help Groups ; Shoulder

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the attributes, antecedents, and consequences of nurse's work interruptions. METHODS: Walker and Avant's concept analysis method was used to analyze this concept. Relevant articles published before August 2018 were searched through MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, KISS, and RISS databases using “interruption,” “work or task,” and “nurse” as keywords. RESULTS: The attributes of work interruption by nurses were as follows: 1) new tasks to do; 2) cognitive transition of work priorities; 3) loss of work continuity; 4) tasks to be resumed. The antecedents of work interruption were intrusion of unplanned events, internal and external factors that result in nurses forgetting their original intentions, an unpredictable work environment, and cultural climate where interruptions are considered as a part of the work process. The consequences of work interruption were decline in job satisfaction, trigger of work errors, lengthening of work completion time, decline in work productivity, increase in work stress, and delay of transferring needed information in a timely manner. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide basic data to reduce the negative consequences of nurses' work interruptions, and contribute to expanding the knowledge necessary for improving patients' safety and nurses' performance.
Climate ; Efficiency ; Intention ; Job Satisfaction ; Methods ; Walkers ; Work Performance

Over the past 30 years, there has been an increase in the incidence of multifetal pregna-ncies, primarily because of the introduction of ovarian stimulants for ovulation induction and assisted reproductive technology ( ART ) in infertile patients. It is well established that multifetal pregnancies are associated with an increased frequency of the maternal complications and gre-ater perinatal morbidity and mortyality. The adverse outcome of multifetal pregnancies is dire-ctly proportional to the number of fetuses, primarily as an consequence of prterm delivery. Re-duction in the number of fetuses in multifetal pregnancies has been proposed as a way to impr-ove the perinatal outcome in this situation. Therefore, selective fetal reduction ( SFR ) is sugges-ted as a therapeutic option for continuation of pregnancy with fetuses mature enough to survi-ve. In this paper, we report our infertility clinic experiences with 6 patients who carried mult- ifetal pregnancies including 1 quintuplet, 1 quadruplet, and 4 triplets. from January, 1991 to May, 1996, transabdominal SFR was accomplished by fetal intrathoracic KCl injection at 9~10 weeks of gestation. After the prcedure, 4 patients remained as twin pregnancies, and 2 patients as single pregnancy. There have been 3 sets of twin deliveries and the 2 sets of single delivery. One case was aborted. Two patients were delivered after 37 weeks of gestation, 2 patients were at 35 weeks, and 1 patient at 24 weeks. All babies have been healthy after birth in patients after 35 weeks gestation. There was no fetal anomaly related to the procedure in the 6 cases. We concluded that transabdominal SFR is a rather safe and useful procedure that may improve the outcome of multifetal pregnancies.
Fetus ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infertility ; Ovulation Induction ; Parturition ; Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Quadruplets ; Quintuplets ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Triplets ; Twins

No abstract available.
Syncope* ; Urination*

The purpose of this study is to gather basic data on dietitian's general characteristics, working conditions, job achievement and job satisfaction. Thereby, a formulation can be worked out to improve dietitian's job achievement and satisfaction. The study was conducted during one week period, spanning July 23 to July 30, 1998. The method of the study was to distribute 560 questionnaires to the primary school dieticians working in the city of Tae Jun, located in Choong-Cheong Province. Out of 560 questionnaires that was distributed, 327 were returned. Moreover, 318 out of 327 questionnaires that was returned was valid enough to be processed by the SAS Program. About sixty percent of the respondents(61.1%) indicated that they were between 26 to 30 years old. Moreover, approximately half of the respondents(48.8%) were unmarried. In terms of the level of education, the bachelor's degree was reported as the most common education level(56.3%), while 3.8% of the participants reported achieving graduate degrees. The number of years in working in the profession ranged from 2 to 5 years. Furthermore, approximately 74% of the respondents indicated that, on average, they earned over 800,000(Won) per month. In terms of the type of the school setting, 52.8% of the respondents worked in the urban setting, whereas, 60.0% worked in the rural school setting. Of these schools, about thirty eight percent(38.7%) of the schools were relatively small sized schools(400 students or less ). In terms of dietitian's sense of job satisfaction, the areas that showed relatively high level of satisfaction was in the menu control work(3.90) and purchase control work(3.90). However, appallingly low job satisfaction was indicated in the areas of personnel management (2.96%), and nutritional education and counsel(2.73%). Furthermore, job satisfaction varied greatly depending on age, wage, type of the food service, and type of school. The highest satisfaction was indicated in the areas of supervisory position(3.42), work itself(3.31%), co-workers(3.11). Other facets that led to job satisfaction were periodic wage increase(2.19%) and promotion opportunities(2.79%). In conclusion dietitian's job achievement showed significant correlation with job satisfaction. The study suggests that, in order to improve the overall job satisfaction of the dieticians, it is necessary to improve the working conditions of dieticians in primary schools. Secondly, there is a necessity for improving the status of the dieticians by raising the salary and treating the dieticians with the same level of respect in comparison with teachers or executive officials. Finally, another way of raising the job satisfaction of the dieticians is to provide opportunity for continuing education. So that, they can further their career in their chosen field.
Adult ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education ; Education, Continuing ; Food Services ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction* ; Nutritionists* ; Personnel Management ; Salaries and Fringe Benefits ; Single Person

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore ways to define the concept of health inequality. METHODS: The concept analysis process by Walker and Avant was used to clarify the meaning of health inequality. RESULTS: Defining attributes of health inequality included differences in health status between individuals or groups, infringement of fundamental rights to health, unfair use of medical services, and social discrimination. The antecedents of health inequality included differences in demographic characteristics (age, gender, education, occupation, residential location), limitations in accessibility to health care, and social exclusion. Consequences of health inequality were increased costs for medical care, decreased health-related quality of life, and lack of ability to cope with health problems resulting in crisis situations, increases in morbidity and mortality, and shortening of life span. The concept was clarified through presentation of model, borderline, related, and contrary cases. CONCLUSION: Results of this study can be used to guide the direction of future studies through concept analysis in which conceptual attributes in the context of health inequality are examined. Also, based on the result of this study, development of standardized tools to measure health inequality is recommended as well as development of educational programs to reduce health inequalities.
Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Human Rights ; Mortality ; Occupations ; Quality of Life ; Social Discrimination ; Socioeconomic Factors*

Annular atrophic lichen planus(AALP) is the most unusual variant of lichen planus that results from elastolytic activity of inflammatory cells. We report a case of AALP in 22-year-old man who had two annular pruritic plaques on the axilla. He had a two year history of skin lesions. Each lesion had elevated erythematous annular border with hyperpigmented atrophic macular center. Histopathologically, it showed typical features of lichen planus in the border of the lesion while a pattern of resolved lichen planus in its center. Elastic fibers was not found in the papillary dermis either at the border or at the center of the lesion.
Axilla ; Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Humans ; Lichen Planus* ; Lichens* ; Skin ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to compare the effects of treatment of newborn babies with two different surfactants, Curosurf(R) and Surfacten(R). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records from 2007 to 2009 and divided the patients into two groups: those who received Curosurf(R) (n=20) and those who received Surfacten(R) (n=21). We compared the groups for sex, gestational age (GA), birth weight, type of delivery, apgar score, maternal history, age at treatment, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), administration indomethacin for patent ductus arteriosus(PDA), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), periventricular leucomalacia (PVL), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), pulmonary hemorrhage (PH), pneumothorax (PTX), duration of ventilation, need for oxygen, and administration. RESULTS: The demographic and clinical variables were similar in both groups. The gestational age for Curosurf(R) and Surfacten(R) were 32.7+/-3.1 and, 30.5+/-4.3 weeks, respectively (P=0.08). Six newborns in the Curosurf(R) group and 8 in the Surfacten(R) group developed BPD (P=0.59). No significant differences were noted for NEC, IVH, PVL, ROP, PH, PTX between the two groups (IVH, P=0.14; PVL, P=0.94; ROP P=0.94; PTX P=0.34). The mean duration of ventilation was 16.8 days with Curosurf(R) and 23.7 days with Surfacten(R), but these differences were not statistically significant (P=0.43). The differences in duration of need for oxygen and administration were also not statistically significant (P=0.92, 0.91, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study indicated no significant differences between Curosurf(R) and Surfacten(R). However, because of its convenience and the merit of minimal touching of the babies, the use of Curosurf(R) is recommended.
Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; Diterpenes ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; Gestational Age ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Indomethacin ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukomalacia, Periventricular ; Medical Records ; Oxygen ; Pneumothorax ; Retinopathy of Prematurity ; Retrospective Studies ; Surface-Active Agents ; Ventilation

We have corrected the conclusion in abstract.

Hydranencephaly is a term used to describe a group of brain malformations in regard to developing any brain remnants. With most of the cerebral cortex absent, the cerebral hemispheres are replaced by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), covered with leptomeninges and dura. Hydranencephaly is a rare isolated abnormality occurring in less than 1 per 10,000 births. With the cutting edged sonography, most of the hydranencephalies are screened in antenatal care. Therefore, it is very rare to observe a living preterm with hydranencephaly. From a history of a young, 19-year-old pregnant woman who did not look for the antenatal care, we found out that it was her first pregnancy, she was unmarried and intermittently had alcohol during the pregnancy. After home delivery, a preterm newborn assumed to be 28 weeks of gestational age was placed under surfactant therapy because of respiratory distress syndrome, and then received a mechanical ventilation. Brain sonography showed that most of the cerebral parenchyma, cortical tissue was absent at the 5th day after the birth. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) of brain showed that almost complete absence of cerebrum which was replaced by CSF, hydranencephaly at 81th days from birth. In summary, we report a preterm newborn with hydranencephaly from an adolescent, unmarried woman who had no antenatal care.
Adolescent ; Brain ; Cerebral Cortex ; Cerebrum ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hydranencephaly ; Illegitimacy ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Respiration, Artificial ; Single Person ; Young Adult