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 is to examine and evaluate the effects of auricular acupressure on musculoskeletal pain, depression and sleep of the elderly who are institutionalized in long-term care facilities. METHODS: The research was conducted in a non-equivalent control group and non-synchronized design with data collected from October to December, 2016. The subjects were from long-term care facilities for the elderly in D city and divided into an experimental group (24 subjects) and a control group (25 subjects). RESULTS: After the intervention, the experimental group showed significant improvement in degree of musculoskeletal pain on time (χ2=23.89, p < .001) and degree of depression on time and group (χ2=37.42, p < .001, U=122.0, p < 001) and degree of sleep on time (χ2=33.62, p < .001). Thus, the suggested hypothesis is partially supported. CONCLUSION: Auricular acupressure therapy is expected to be a practical and efficient nursing intervention for the elderly institutionalized in long-term care facilities.
Acupressure ; Aged ; Depression ; Humans ; Long-Term Care ; Musculoskeletal Pain ; Nursing

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.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a self-esteem improvement program on self-esteem and peer attachment in elementary school children with observed problematic behaviors. METHODS: This study is a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group pretest-post-test design. A total of 47 fourth grade elementary school students participated in this study. The program was provided for 45 minutes once a week; a total of 12 sessions were completed with a group in the classroom for the experimental group. Child Problem-Behavior Screening Questionnaire was used to measure problematic behavior. Self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg's Self-esteem Questionnaire, and peer attachment was measured using the Inventory of Parent and Attachment. Measuring was performed right after the program was done (post 1) and 1 month after the program was finished (post 2). To compare the differences in self-esteem and peer attachment between groups, repeated measures analysis of variance was used. RESULTS: Most participants in the experimental group were 10 years old (62.5%, range 10-11), male (52.0%) and with middle grade point average (64.0%). The self-esteem scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group (F = 26.64, p < .001). The peer attachment scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group (F = 6.48, p = .014). CONCLUSIONS: The self-esteem improvement program in this study improved the self-esteem and peer attachment in elementary school children. The self-esteem program helped acknowledge the peer's name and increased their connections. The program needs to be considered as a formal and consistent program.
Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; *Peer Group ; Problem Behavior/*psychology ; Republic of Korea ; *Self Concept ; Students/*psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires

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

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of aromatherapy on agitation in patients with dementia using a meta-analysis and systemic literature review. METHODS: The EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and other databases were searched up to November 2017. RESULTS: Of 419 publications identified, 12 met inclusion criteria, and 9 studies were used to estimate the effect size of aromatherapy. A total of 837 participants across all studies were included. The commonly applied methods were massage (50%), type of oil lavender (75%), and instrument Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (75%). A medium effect size of aromatherapy on agitation was identified (d=−0.56, I2=65.0%, p=.001). The massage group has lower effect size than the other group (d=−0.98, I2=0.0%, p=.001). CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy appears to be effective in improving agitation in patients with dementia. However, further studies for home-dwelling patients with dementia and with different types of aroma oil should be conducted in the future. In addition, research with well-designed are needed to assess the effects or aromatherapy on agitation.
Aromatherapy ; Dementia ; Dihydroergotamine ; Humans ; Lavandula ; Massage ; Psychomotor Agitation

This study was conducted to examine the dietary behaviors with 510 high school students (260 males and 250 females) residing in Seoul. The average age of male and female students were 16.3 and 16.4 years old, respectively. Mean height and weight of male students were 174.1 cm and 65.9 kg and those of female students were 161.6 cm and 52.5 kg. The body mass index (BMI) of male and female students were 21.7 kg/m2 and 20.1 kg/m2, respectively, which were within the normal range. Students skipped breakfast more than once a week were 41.1% of males and 44.4% of females. More than 40% of the male and female students skipped breakfast frequently. The mean mini dietary assessment index score of male and female students were 30.6 and 29.6 out of total 50 index scores, respectively. Female students perceived significantly less healthy and fatter than male students. Furthermore, body image satisfaction of the female students was lower than that of male students. Female students were more significantly concerned with body image and desired a thin body shape. Only 22.7% of male students and 6.4% of female students exercised regularly, and the frequency, time, and intensity of exercise in the male students were significantly higher than those of female students.
Body Image ; Body Mass Index ; Breakfast ; Consciousness ; Female ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Male ; Reference Values

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.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Artemisinin (AT), an active compound in Arternisia annua, is well known as an anti-malaria drug. It is also known to have several effects including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation, and anti-cancer activities. To date, the effect of AT on vascular disorders has not been studied. In this study, we investigated the effects of AT on the migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB). MATERIALS/METHODS: Aortic smooth muscle cells were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats. PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC migration was measured by the scratch wound healing assay and the Boyden chamber assay. Cell viability was determined by using an EZ-Cytox Cell Viability Assay Kit. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC was measured through H2DCF-DA staining. We also determined the expression levels of signal proteins relevant to ROS, including measures of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 measured by western blot analysis and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9 measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: AT (10 microM and 30 microM) significantly reduced the proliferation and migration of PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC in a dose-dependent manner. The production of ROS, normally induced by PDGF-BB, is reduced by treatment with AT at both concentrations. PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC treated with AT (10 microM and 30 microM) have reduced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and inhibited MMP9 expression compared to untreated PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest, based on these results, that AT may exert an anti-atherosclerotic effect on PDGF-BB stimulated VSMCs by inhibiting their proliferation and migration through down-regulation of ERK1/2 and MMP9 phosphorylation.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Survival ; Down-Regulation ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Wound Healing