PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the spiritual well-being and quality of life between hospital and home hospice patients. METHODS: A total of 116 patients from 4 hospice hospitals in D city and P city participated in this study from January to April 2012. To measure spiritual well-being, an instrument developed by Paloutzian and Ellison (1982) and revised by Park (2005) was used. To measure quality of life, an instrument developed by Cho (1993) and revised by Sun (2003) was used. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, t-test, chi2-test, and ANCOVA. RESULTS: Spiritual well-being and quality of life were higher in home hospice patients than in hospital hospice patients, but they were not statistically significant. Higher education and having religion were significantly related to higher spiritual well-being in both groups. Having religion and pain history for the past one week were significantly related to higher quality of life in both groups. CONCLUSION: For hospice patients, participation in religious activities needs to be encouraged to improve their spiritual well-being and quality of life. Assessing the hospice patients' pain history with close observation and managing the pain are suggested.
Hospice Care ; Hospices* ; Humans ; Quality of Life* ; Solar System ; Spirituality

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of ego-resilience, nursing professionalism and empathy on clinical competency and to suggest strategies for improving the clinical competency of general hospital nurses. Methods: Data collection was performed from Jan. 18th, 2019 to Feb. 14th. A total of 194 nurses from four general hospitals participated in this study. The collected data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation and stepwise multiple regression analysis using SPSS 23.0. Results: The factors affecting the clinical competency of general hospital nurses included ego-resilience (β=.28, p<.001), nursing professionalism (β=.20, p=.011), empathic concern (β=.19, p=.003), working department (β=-.17, p=.008), total clinical career (β=.15, p=.011), and number of beds (β=.13, p=.033). These factors accounted for 33.0% of the clinical competency (p<.001). Conclusion It is important to find ways to improve the level of empathy of general hospital nurses and there is a need to include education programs or practical interventions to strengthen empathy at the clinical level.

Brain diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, depression, schizophrenia, autism, and addiction lead to reduced quality of daily life through abnormal thoughts, perceptions, emotional states, and behavior. While the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, human and animal studies have supported a role of neuroinflammation in the etiology of these diseases. In the central nervous system, an increased inflammatory response is capable of activating microglial cells, leading to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. In turn, the pro-inflammatory cytokines aggravate and propagate neuroinflammation, degenerating healthy neurons and impairing brain functions. Therefore, activated microglia may play a key role in neuroinflammatory processes contributing to the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders and neurodegeneration.
Alzheimer Disease ; Animals ; Autistic Disorder ; Brain ; Brain Diseases ; Central Nervous System ; Cytokines ; Depression ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Microglia ; Necrosis ; Neurodegenerative Diseases* ; Neurons ; Parkinson Disease ; Schizophrenia

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate agitation in home-dwelling persons with dementia and coping behaviors of primary family care-givers to agitation. METHODS: The research was designed as a descriptive study. A total of two hundred and five subjects had participated in this study. To measure agitation in persons with dementia, Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory was used. To measure coping behaviors of primary family care-givers to the agitation, a questionnaire was used. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test were used to answer the research objectives. RESULTS: 'Repetitive mannerisms' and 'repeating sentences' were the most commonly occurred agitation in home-dwelling persons with dementia. 'Leaving the situation', 'allowing certain time', and 'soothing by talking' were the most common coping behaviors occurred in primary care-givers. CONCLUSION: The findings of the current study would provide meaningful data to develop nursing programs to control agitation for home-dwelling persons with dementia and education programs for primary care-givers to cope with persons' agitation.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Caregivers ; Dementia ; Dihydroergotamine ; Humans ; Phosphatidylethanolamines ; Psychomotor Agitation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The relationship between smoking and total mortality was examined in a community residents population sample of 2,848 men and 3,543 women aged 55 years or over in Kangwha County, Korea during 1985-1991. A total of 1,436 deaths occurred during a 6-year follow-up among the 1.3 fold-higher in current smokers than in non-smokers among men. The relative risk of total mortality was highest for the 55-59 year old age group both in ex-smokers and in current smokers. PAR for total mortality attributed by smoking were estimated to be 26% for ex-smokers and 25% for current smokers in men. The biggest RR (2.1) and PAR (49%) were observed among those who smoked less than 19 cigarettes per day compared to non-smokers in males. Smokers who began to smoke at age 18 or before showed RR 1.8, and PAR 38% in men. Smoking was the most important variable related with total mortality second only to hypertensiveness not including preventable ones among men in multivariate analyses. Men who began to smoke at nineteen years of age or before had RR 1.5 for total cancer mortality. Women showed the similar picture as males in risk factors composition and in relative risks, with a low association strength, however.
Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Age ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prospective Studies ; Regression Analysis ; Risk ; Sex Factors ; Smoking/*mortality ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

This study was performed to determine the effects of dietary calcium (Ca) intake, milk and dairy product intake, and serum vitamin D level on bone mineral density. The survey data from the 2008-2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) for adults (3,819 males, 5,625 females) aged > 20 years were examined; osteoporosis was defined according to the standards for Asian populations (T-score < -2.5). The risk for osteoporosis significantly decreased as Ca intake increased; this effect persisted (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1 of Ca intake: odds ratio [OR] 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50-0.87) even after adjustment for gender, age, and other factors (body mass index, serum vitamin D, menstruation, female hormone intake, menopausal status, and the number of days per week of muscular strength exercise). Additionally, the risk for osteoporosis significantly decreased as the Ca/P ratio increased (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1: OR 0.76; 95% CI: 0.58-0.98). The degree of risk was 0.96 (0.66-1.38) in those who consumed < 1 portion of milk or dairy products daily, and 0.71 (0.53-0.96) in those who consumed > 1 portion per day, compared with those who had zero intake. The risk for osteoporosis significantly decreased as the serum 25(OH) vitamin D level increased. From these results, we advocate an increase in Ca, milk, and dairy product intake, and that serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels be maintained within the normal range, for the maintenance of bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis in adults.
Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bone Density ; Calcium ; Calcium, Dietary ; Dairy Products ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Menstruation ; Milk ; Nutrition Surveys ; Odds Ratio ; Osteoporosis ; Reference Values ; Vitamin D ; Vitamins

This study was conducted to examine nutrient intake status and iron food sources by dietary iron density of high school girls in Seoul. The subjects of 226 girls were divided into High group (> or = 6 mg/1,000 kcal, N = 115) and Low group (< 6 mg/1,000 kcal, N = 111) by dietary iron density. The nutrient intake data obtained by 24-hour recall method were analyzed by Can pro 3.0 software. Mean age of all subjects was 16.4 years old, heights and weights of High group and Low group were 164.5 cm, 53.4 kg and 161.7 cm, 51.7 kg, respectively. The body mass index (BMI) of High group and Low group was 20.5 kg/m2 and 19.8 kg/m2, respectively. Most nutrient intakes except energy and lipid intakes of High group were higher than those of Low group. High group showed significantly higher intakes of total iron, vegetable iron and animal iron than Low group. Ca and folate intakes of High group were under 75% of the recommended intake (RI) and Ca, iron, folate and vitamin C intakes of Low group were under 65% of RI. The percentage of subjects who consumed iron less than estimated average requirements (EAR) were 40.0% in High group and 77.5% in Low group. Total food intakes of High group showed higher than that of Low group. Total animal food intakes were significantly higher and total vegetable food intakes were significantly lower in Low group than those of High group. Iron intake from meats, fishes, shell fishes and seasonings were significantly higher in High group than Low group. Iron intake from milk and dairy products were significantly lower in High group than Low group. Major food sources of iron were rice, bean curd, pork, and egg in order among both groups.
Animals ; Ascorbic Acid ; Body Mass Index ; Dairy Products ; Female* ; Fishes ; Folic Acid ; Humans ; Iron* ; Iron, Dietary* ; Meat ; Milk ; Ovum ; Seasons ; Seoul* ; Vegetables ; Weights and Measures

Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify whether spirituality mediates the relationship between empathy and elderly care performance among Long Term Care (LTC) hospitals nurses in Korea. Methods: The data collection was performed July 1st to August 31th, 2018. Participants were 119 nurses from three long-term care hospitals in Korea. Self-reported questionnaires were administered to assess general characteristics, empathy, spirituality and elderly care performance. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and three-stage simple and multiple regression analysis as proposed by Baron and Kenny. Results: The level of elderly care performance of participants was significantly different based on age (F=3.92, p=.010) and nurse's position (t=−2.18, p=.031). Spirituality had a significant mediating effect on the relationship between empathy and elderly care performance (Z=3.64, p<.001). Conclusion As spirituality completely mediates the relationship between empathy and elderly care performance, it is necessary to develop a nursing education program that applies spirituality and empathy and supports religious activities at an institutional level.

This study was to investigate the role of complementary and alternative medicine in the prevention and treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. For this purpose, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed over 12 months on 47 benign prostatic hyperplasia patients with average age of 53.3 years and international prostate symptom score over 8. Subjects received either sweet potato starch (group A, placebo, 320 mg/day), pumpkin seed oil (group B, 320 mg/day), saw palmetto oil (group C, 320 mg/day) or pumpkin seed oil plus saw palmetto oil (group D, each 320 mg/day). International prostate symptom score, quality of life, serum prostate specific antigen, prostate volume and maximal urinary flow rate were measured. In groups B, C and D, the international prostate symptom score were reduced by 3 months. Quality of life score was improved after 6 months in group D, while those of groups B and C were improved after 3 months, compared to the baseline value. Serum prostate specific antigen was reduced only in group D after 3 months, but no difference was observed in prostate volume in all treatment groups. Maximal urinary flow rate were gradually improved in groups B and C, with statistical significance after 6 months in group B and after 12 months in group C. None of the parameters were significantly improved by combined treatment with pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto oil. From these results, it is suggested that administrations of pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto oil are clinically safe and may be effective as complementary and alternative medicine treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Complementary Therapies ; Cucurbita ; Humans ; Ipomoea batatas ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Quality of Life ; Seeds ; Starch

This study was conducted to study the relationship between food intakes, glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL), and body weight with high school boys residing in Seoul. The subjects of 329 boys were divided into normal weight group (BMI < 23 kg/m2, n = 212) and overweight group (BMI > or = 23 kg/m2, n = 117) by body mass index (BMI). The food intakes data obtained by the 3-day food record were analyzed by Can pro 3.0 software. Anthropometric measurements and physical activities were collected from each subject. Daily dietary glycemic index (DGI) and dietary glycemic load (DGL) were calculated from the 3-day food record. Body weights and BMI of normal weight group were 58.8 kg and 19.9 kg/m2 and those of overweight group were 79.2 kg and 26.8 kg/m2, which were significantly different between two groups (p < 0.05). Total food and animal food intakes of normal weight group were significantly higher than overweight group (p < 0.05), and vegetable food and other food intakes of normal weight group showed higher than overweight group. All nutrient intakes of normal weight group were higher than overweight group. Dietary fiber, calcium, potassium and folate intakes of normal weight group and overweight group were under 65% of the dietary reference intakes (DRIs). Major food sources of energy intake for both groups were rice, pork and instant noodle in order. Mean adequacy ratio (MAR), an index of overall dietary quality were 0.83 in normal weight group and 0.79 in overweight group, which showed significantly higher in normal weight group than overweight group (p < 0.05). Mean daily dietary GI of normal weight group and overweight group were 67.7 and 68.2, respectively. Mean daily dietary GL of normal weight group and overweight group were 214.6 and 202.7, respectively, and which was significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05). Major food sources contributed to DGI and DGL were rice (> or = 55%) in both groups. DGI and DGL were not significantly correlated with anthropometric data. Activity adjusted to energy intake was negatively correlated with percentage of body fat (r =-0.1308, p < 0.01) and that was positively correlated with height (r = 0.1227, p < 0.05) and lean body mass (r = 0.1351, p < 0.05).
Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Calcium ; Dietary Fiber ; Eating ; Energy Intake ; Folic Acid ; Glycemic Index ; Humans ; Motor Activity ; Overweight ; Potassium ; Vegetables