PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the influencing factors on the compliance of breast self-examination (BSE) among nurses who work at three general hospitals in Kyung-Nam areas. METHOD: 258 hospital nurses were included in the study. Data were collected using structured self-administered questionnaires and analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, x2 test and logistic regression analysis. RESULT: Nurses reported medium levels of knowledge, self efficacy and health believes about breast cancer and BSE, and 26% of the nurses performed the BSE at least once during the last 6 months. Compliers of BSE perceived significantly higher levels of self-efficacy, susceptability and health motivation, and lower level of barrier compared to non-compliers. Significant influencing factors on BSE compliance were 'experience of getting recommendation for breast self-examination', 'susceptibility', 'barrier', and 'self-efficacy' and those variables explained 22.5% of variance in compliance of BSE. CONCLUSION: Nurses, who must play as a role model for health promoting behaviors, did not have enough knowledge of breast cancer and BSE. Also, their performance rate of BSE was quite low. Thus, it is essential to provide an educational program for breast cancer and BSE to nurses in order to enhance nurses' performance rate of BSE.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Self-Examination* ; Breast* ; Compliance* ; Health Behavior ; Hospitals, General ; Logistic Models ; Methods ; Motivation ; Self Efficacy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a mentoring program designed to help middle school girls from low income families cope with stress and improve self-esteem. METHODS: A non-equivalent control group, pretest-posttest design was used. The independent variable was the mentoring program, in which the mentors were nursing students and the mentees were middle school girls. The dependent variables were stress and self-esteem scores. The program was conducted using group activities and personal approaches through the mentor-mentee relationship. The program was conducted from September 1 to December 11, 2010 in a middle school in A city, South Korea. RESULTS: At follow-up, the stress and mental health scores had improved significantly in the intervention group compared to the control group. The self-esteem scores in the intervention group were significantly higher after the intervention than scores before the intervention. However there was no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that mentoring programs have the potential to be developmentally appropriate interventions for stress management and self-esteem improvement in adolescents from vulnerable families and also enable nursing students as mentors to gain confidence in their professional capability.
Adolescent ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Mentors ; Phosphatidylethanolamines ; Poverty ; Students, Nursing

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence of coronary artery lesion(CAL) and the efficacy of intravenously administered immune globulin(IVGG) and aspirin therapy, identify risk factors for CAL, and analyze clinical characteristics in infants less than 12 months of age with Kawasaki disease. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of children less than 12 months of age with Kawasaki disease between 1994 and 1998, diagnosed at Chungnam National University Hospital. RESULTS: Of 202 patients with Kawasaki disease, 32(16 percent) were less than 1 year of age, including 7(3 percent) less than 6 months. Sex ratio of male to female was 2.5:1. Age at onset and Harada score were a predictor of the development of CAL:5(71 percent) of 7 children less than 6 months and 10(40 percent) of 25 children between 6 to 12 months of age acquired CAL (P<0.05), and 1(14 percent) of 7 children less than 6 months of age acquired giant CAL. No specific clinical or laboratory features predicted the development of CAL. Persistent(greater than 1 year) CAL were present in 2(7 percent) of 29 IVGG-treated children. The typical clinical features of Kawasaki disease was noted 24(75 percent) of 32 and the atypical one, 8(25 percent) of 32 children less than 12 months of age. CONCLUSION: Patients with Kawasaki disease of less than 12 months of age are at particularly increased risk of having CAL and difficulty in diagnosis due to atypical clinical features. So, it is suggested to intervene in the diagnostic criteria or risk factors for CAL, especially for patients with infant Kawasaki disease of less than 6 months of age.
Aspirin ; Child ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Coronary Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sex Ratio

The diaphragm is especially important in sustaining minute ventilation in the neonate. Consequently, diaphragmatic paralysis is not tolerated well by the neonate and often results in prolonged respiratory failure. We experienced a case of unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis with the brachial plexus palsy in a male newborn infant who presented with apnea and cyanosis due to birth asphyxia. After endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilaton was started. At two weeks after therapy, chest X-ray showed atelectasis and elevation of the right hemidiaphragm. The diagnosis of unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis was confirmed by real-time ultrasonography. At 4 weeks old, after several unsuccessful attempts at weaning from ventilatory support, right hemidiaphragm was plicated. On the second postoperative day, he could be weaned from ventiatory support without difficulty. He was doing well at follow-up 3 months later.
Apnea ; Asphyxia ; Brachial Plexus* ; Cyanosis ; Diagnosis ; Diaphragm ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Male ; Paralysis* ; Parturition ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Respiratory Paralysis* ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography ; Ventilation ; Weaning

PURPOSE: To assess the tumor response, sphincter preservation, acute toxicity and survival with preoperative concurrent chemoradiation in locally advanced rectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients were treated with preoperative chemoradiaton for tumor downstaging and sphincter preservation. Radiation was delivered to whole pelvis to 45 Gy followed by a boost 5.4 Gy to primary tumor site. Chemotherapy consists of concurrent 2 cycles of 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/m2/day) and leucovorin (20 mg/m2/day). Surgery was performed approximately 6 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Median follow-up period and rate were 48 months and 98%, respectively. The downstaging including primary tumor and lymph node occurred in 64%. Three of 53 patients (6%) had pathologic complete response. The resectability of tumor was 98%. A sphincter preservation was possible in 61%. Three patients developed grade 4 hematologic toxicity. Grade 3 skin erythema and diarrhea were 24% and 18%, respectively. The 5-year survival and local disease-free survival were 62% and 89%, respectively. Local failure and distant metastasis rate were 9% and 35%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Preoperative chemoradiation affords considerable downstaging with acceptable acute toxicity and postoperative morbidity. Also sphincter preservation is feasible by improved downstaging of tumor. This treatment could be improved local control of tumor, and may have a potential for long-term survival.
Diarrhea ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Erythema ; Fluorouracil ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pelvis ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Skin

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a Korean version of psychological first aid training program (K-PFA) and examine the education effect on trainees. Methods: This study enrolled 485 subjects who completed both K-PFA and study surveys. In addition to mental health professionals, subjects with various ages and educational backgrounds were included to examine the education effects of the capabilities in conducting PFA and understanding acute phase disaster mental health (DMH). Results: Both mental health professionals and non-professionals improved their understanding of acute-phase DMH intervention and their perceived capabilities in conducting PFA. Conclusion The development of a DMH intervention-training program adapted to Korean domesticcircumstances and culture represents a significant step towards a comprehensive and individualized intervention for disaster survivors.

Radiation is the most useful treatment modality for cancer patients. It initiates a series of signal cascades such as DNA damage response (DDR) signaling for repairing damaged DNA, arresting the cell cycle, and inducing cell death. Until now, few genes have been found to be regulated by radiation, which explains the molecular mechanisms of cellular responses to radiation. Although the transcriptional changes caused by radiation have been widely investigated, little is known about the direct evidence for the transcriptional control of DDR-related genes. Here, we examined the radiosensitivity of two non-small cell lung cancer cell lines (H460 and H1299), which have different p53 status. We monitored the time-dependent changes of 24 DDR-related gene expressions via microarray analysis. Based on the basal expression levels and temporal patterns, we further classified 24 DDR-related genes into four subgroups. Then, we also addressed the protein levels of several DDR-related genes such as TopBP1, Chk1 and Chk2, confirming the results of microarray analysis. Together, these results indicate that the expression patterns of DDR-related genes are associated with radiosensitivity and with the p53 statuses of H460 and H1299, which adds to the understanding of the complex biological responses to radiation.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics ; Cell Cycle Proteins/genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival/radiation effects ; DNA Damage/*radiation effects ; DNA Repair Enzymes/genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/*radiation effects ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Radiation Tolerance/genetics ; Signal Transduction

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify levels of knowledge, perception, and practice of eye care as part of nursing care in the ICU. METHOD: A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used. The participants in this study were 269 registered nurses working in the ICUs of five university hospitals in Seoul, Korea. Between November 2005 and December 2005, data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire developed by the researchers, and analyzed using the SPSS Program. RESULTS: In general, levels of knowledge of nursing care for the eyes were moderate among ICU nurses, but levels of perception of nursing care for the eyes were very high. Of the respondents, 61.7% reported that they would consult a doctor whenever they found an eye problem. Only 42.4% nurses answered that they provide eye care as part of the daily routine and 43.9% nurses responded that they cleanse the eye lids with wet saline gauze. In regression analysis, the practice of eye care as part of nursing was significantly influenced by perception of nursing care for the eyes, and knowledge of interventions for nursing care for the eyes. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that education on care of the eyes for ICU nurses and the development of a standardized eye care protocol should be done to improve quality of nursing care in the ICU.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education ; Hospitals, University ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Korea ; Nursing Care ; Nursing* ; Seoul

Objective: Endovascular coil embolization is the primary treatment modality for intracranial aneurysms. However, its long-term durability remains of concern, with a considerable proportion of cases requiring aneurysm reopening and retreatment. Therefore, establishing optimal follow-up imaging protocols is necessary to ensure a durable occlusion. This study aimed to develop guidelines for follow-up imaging strategies after endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Methods: A committee comprising members of the Korean Neuroendovascular Society and other relevant societies was formed. A literature review and analyses of the major published guidelines were conducted to gather evidence. A panel of 40 experts convened to achieve a consensus on the recommendations using the modified Delphi method. Results: The panel members reached the following consensus: 1. Schedule the initial follow-up imaging within 3-6 months of treatment. 2. Noninvasive imaging modalities, such as three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) or contrast-enhanced MRA, are alternatives to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) during the first follow-up. 3. Schedule mid-term follow-up imaging at 1, 2, 4, and 6 years after the initial treatment. 4. If noninvasive imaging reveals unstable changes in the treated aneurysms, DSA should be considered. 5. Consider late-term follow-up imaging every 3–5 years for lifelong monitoring of patients with unstable changes or at high risk of recurrence. Conclusions The guidelines aim to provide physicians with the information to make informed decisions and provide patients with high-quality care. However, owing to a lack of specific recommendations and scientific data, these guidelines are based on expert consensus and should be considered in conjunction with individual patient characteristics and circumstances.