BACKGROUND: Symptoms of subclinical hypothyroidism include depression, memory loss, myocardial contractility disorder, lipid metabolic disorder, and atherosclerosis. However, the relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism and depression has not been consistent. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to provide the scientific evidence for the relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism and depression. METHODS: This study was a meta-analysis of depression in subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism. The search engine of PubMed, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, and RISS was used to search the studies published since the 1990s. A total of 176 documents were retrieved from the literature search, and finally 10 studies were included in the analysis. Statistical analysis of effect sizes was performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software version 2.2.064. RESULTS: Of the 10 studies, five studies reported that depression was associated with subclinical hypothyroidism. Two of these studies were on women and two were on the elderly. The effect size of depression in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism was 3.46 (95% confidence interval 0.20–0.74, P=0.001), and the subclinical hypothyroidism was significantly associated with depression. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with depression. The results also suggest the need for regular screening of depressive symptoms of patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. Especially, elderly and women with subclinical hypothyroidism may be the main targets of depressive symptom.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine relationships between critical thinking disposition and multiple intelligences. METHOD: Participants were nursing students (N=186) who completed a questionnaire assessing critical thinking disposition and multiple intelligences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance with post hoc comparison, and Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: For type of multiple intelligences, 32.9% of students had the strongest fit for "interpersonal intelligence" type and 20.1% for "intrapersonal intelligence" type. Mean score for critical thinking disposition was 3.42+/-0.37. Factors related to critical thinking disposition were participation in club activities (F=5.962, p=.001) with a representative role in the club (t=2.140, p=.034). There were significant differences in interpersonal intelligence scores by personality traits (t=2.445, p=.015), participation in club activities (F=10.003, p<.001), and friendship (t=2.539, p=.012); and significant differences in intrapersonal intelligence scores by participation in club activities (F=3.862, p=.010), having a representative role in the club (t=2.101, p=.037), and friendship (t=2.220, p=.029). CONCLUSION: Results indicate that critical thinking disposition is significantly associated with multiple intelligences and suggest that multiple intelligences should be considered to enhance critical thinking disposition when tailored teaching is adopted in nursing education.
Education, Nursing ; Friends ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Students, Nursing* ; Thinking*

BACKGROUND: Symptoms of subclinical hypothyroidism include depression, memory loss, myocardial contractility disorder, lipid metabolic disorder, and atherosclerosis. However, the relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism and depression has not been consistent. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to provide the scientific evidence for the relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism and depression. METHODS: This study was a meta-analysis of depression in subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism. The search engine of PubMed, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, and RISS was used to search the studies published since the 1990s. A total of 176 documents were retrieved from the literature search, and finally 10 studies were included in the analysis. Statistical analysis of effect sizes was performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software version 2.2.064. RESULTS: Of the 10 studies, five studies reported that depression was associated with subclinical hypothyroidism. Two of these studies were on women and two were on the elderly. The effect size of depression in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism was 3.46 (95% confidence interval 0.20–0.74, P=0.001), and the subclinical hypothyroidism was significantly associated with depression. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with depression. The results also suggest the need for regular screening of depressive symptoms of patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. Especially, elderly and women with subclinical hypothyroidism may be the main targets of depressive symptom.
Aged ; Atherosclerosis ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Mass Screening ; Memory Disorders ; Search Engine

Background: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at investigating the current status and prevalence of sleep disturbance in Korean university students and provide evidence to develop appropriate strategies for improving sleep disturbance. Methods: Pooled prevalence of sleep disturbance in Korean university students was assessed using PubMed, CINAHL, Research Information Sharing Service, National Assembly Library, Korean studies Information Service System, and Korea Citation Index databases. A total of 1,843 studies were retrieved from the literature search, and 14 studies were included in the analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using comprehensive meta-analysis software. Results: The overall pooled prevalence was 48.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 41.6-56.3%). Subgroup analyses revealed that the pooled prevalence rates were 59.2% (95% CI, 38.8-50.7%) in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)-based and 26.0% (95% CI, 19.5-33.9%) in non-PSQI-based studies, 23.2% (95% CI, 15.6-33.1%) in low-quality and 56.9% (95% CI, 49.3-64.2%) in moderate-quality studies, 35.6% (95% CI, 33.4-37.8%) in studies published before 2010 and 51.4% (95% CI, 42.9-59.8%) in studies published since 2011. Conclusions The prevalence of sleep disturbance is higher in university students. Therefore, further studies are needed to identify sleep problems of university students and gain future-oriented insights to develop mediation strategies.

This study examined the perception and readiness of nursing educators regarding interprofessional education (IPE), and discussed the validity and application of IPE in nursing. From December 2016 to January 2017, 239 nursing professors and nurses completed a structured questionnaire consisting of general characteristics, the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale, the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Survey (RIPLS), and an IPE action plan. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and t-test using the IBM SPSS ver. 23.0 program (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). The analysis revealed that 91.6% of the participants had not experienced IPE, and only 11.7% knew about IPE. However, approximately 80.0% answered that IPE is necessary. The results of this study showed that the score of the perceived need for cooperation was higher in nurses than it was in professors, while the score on competency and autonomy was higher in professors than it was in nurses. With reference to the scores on the RIPLS, those of professors were high on the sub-scales of teamwork and collaboration, professional identity, and roles and responsibility. The results revealed that participants considered the upper-grade undergraduate years as the ideal time for imparting IPE, and it was deemed suitable to include communication, simulation, and clinical practice in IPE. Doctors, pharmacists, and physiotherapists were thought to require cooperation for IPE the most. Despite the presence of several barriers to IPE, the participants thought that IPE can achieve learning outcomes such as interprofessional communication and cooperation, conflict resolution, and teamwork. It is necessary to cooperate with professionals in the complex clinical environment as professional areas are specialized and subdivided. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the application of IPE in undergraduate education and in on-the-job training.
Cooperative Behavior ; Education ; Education, Nursing ; Humans ; Inservice Training ; Learning ; Negotiating ; Nursing ; Pharmacists ; Physical Therapists

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of academic resilience and interpersonal competence on the happiness of nursing students. A descriptive design was used to study 158 nursing students in nursing school through convenience sampling. IBM SPSS ver. 23.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) was used to analyze data for descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance, Tukey post hoc test, Pearson's correlations, and multiple regressions. The results showed that the level of nursing students' happiness was lower than that of college students in other majors, but academic resilience and interpersonal competence among nursing students were relatively high. Nursing students' happiness was positively correlated with academic resilience and interpersonal competence. The factors affecting happiness were academic resilience (β=0.459, p < 0.001), satisfaction with major (β=0.272, p=0.006), perceived subjective health status (β=0.223, p=0.013), and interpersonal competence (β=0.185, p=0.003). Explained variance for happiness was 56.4%, and academic resilience was the most influential factor in the happiness of nursing students. Nursing students are caring human beings and should be able to pursue a happy life; therefore, it is necessary to improve satisfaction levels with the nursing major, guide students to excel in their academic achievement, prepare health education programs, and design curriculum that inspires confidence in interpersonal relationships.
Curriculum ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Happiness ; Health Education ; Humans ; Mental Competency ; Nursing ; Schools, Nursing ; Students, Nursing

The high degree of academic burnout experienced during academic life indicates that job skill levels during the first year following graduation are low, and the correlation with turnover intention is high. We investigated the effects of clinical practice stress and resilience on nursing students’ burnout, and searched for factors that can prevent or control burnout. We recruited a convenience sample of 202 nursing students. Academic burnout, general characteristics, clinical practice stress, and resilience were assessed via self-reported questionnaires. The mean total score of academic burnout was 44.0 points; exhaustion was the highest at 18.5 points, inefficacy was 15.9 points, and cynicism was 9.6 points. High levels of clinical practice stress affected academic burnout (β=0.194, p=0.003), while high resilience was a factor that lowered the degree of academic burnout (β=-0.449, p<0.001). Based on our results, factors affecting students’ experiences of academic burnout were clinical practice stress and resilience. We therefore propose the implementation of a new curriculum aimed at increasing satisfaction with the major, reducing clinical practice stress, and increasing resilience, including an efficient peer mentoring program for clinical practice.

Purpose: This study is to identify how the meaning in life, depression, and social support influences the suicidal ideation of old adult hemodialysis patients. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. A descriptive correlative study was conducted through an organized and structured self-administrated questionnaire survey for 120 sampled old adult renal dialysis patients. The collected data were analyzed by t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis using the Stata 13.0 program. Results: The suicidal ideation of participants was positively correlated with the meaning in life, and social support, and the depression was negatively correlated with the suicidal ideation. Significant factors influencing the suicidal ideation included the meaning in life, depression, social support, age, caregiver, monthly income, and smoking. These factors explained 68% of the variance. Conclusion The depression of old adult hemodialysis patients was a major risk factor that increased suicidal ideation, and the meaning in life and social support was a protective factor that reduced the suicidal ideation. These results suggest that health professionals should provide old adult hemodialysis patients with proper management of suicidal ideation, and depression as well as its meaning in life, and social support.

Comprehensive aortic root and valve repair (CARVAR) is a recently introduced surgical technique for aortic valve disease. The National Evidence-based Health Care Collaborating Agency was offered by the ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea to perform a restrospective outcome analysis for this surgical procedure. The aims of this study were to evaluate the safety of patients who underwent CARVAR surgery and to provide a rationale for further prospective randomized study. During the period of March 2007 to November 2009, 397 patients received this procedure and enrolled in this study. Clinical events including major bleeding, endocarditis, re-operation and death were followed-up till March 2010 by medical records. During the follow-up periods, 1-year cumulative incidence of major bleeding, re-operation, endocarditis and death were 3.55, 5.65, 5.05 and 5.33%/year respectively. This study showed that the CARVAR technique is not beneficial, and is indeed even more harmful than conventional valve replacement surgery.
Aortic Valve ; Cardiac Valve Annuloplasty ; Endocarditis ; Evidence-Based Practice ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the costs and benefits of individual home visiting health care using secondary data and literature review. METHODS: The total number of subjects was 1,008,837. A specific program was classified into disease management, care of infant, child and women, or elderly care. The costs and effects of a program were identified from a societal perspective, and the effects were converted into monetary terms or benefits. The total cost was calculated in the way that medical expenses, travel costs and productivity losses were offset by the decrease in benefits and thus only the program budget was included in the total cost. RESULTS: The total program cost was 47.6 billion won per year and the total annual benefit was estimated at 435.6 billion won. The benefits of arthritis management were the biggest among disease management programs. The net benefit was 388.0 billion won per year and the benefit/cost ratio was 9.16. CONCLUSION: Home visiting health care was validated to be economically effective. It made a positive contribution to improving the health status of vulnerable populations and reducing medical expenses. These results suggest that home visiting care should be extended more broadly to vulnerable populations.
Aged ; Arthritis ; Budgets ; Child ; Cost-Benefit Analysis* ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Disease Management ; Efficiency ; Female ; House Calls* ; Humans ; Infant ; Vulnerable Populations