BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of an improved method of endotracheal suction on nosocomial pneumonia (NP) and tracheal colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii in intensive care units (ICUs). METHODS: The study was carried out in both the medical and surgical ICUs of a tertiary-care university hospital; 2,347 patients were admitted in the ICUs from January 2003 to December 2004. The method of endotracheal suction to remove secretions was improved by using a sterile, individually packed catheter and sterile fluid filled in a small container for a single use instead of sterile catheters and fluid packed or filled in large containers for a multiple use. Then, we compared the incidence of NP, the colonization rates of P. aeruginosa and A. baumanni in the respiratory tract, and their carbapenem resistance before and after the intervention. RESULTS: The incidence of NP (1,000 patient-day rate) was decreased from 4.08 to 2.46 in the SICU and from 1.4 to 0.8 in the MICU after the intervention, but the differences were not significant. The colonization rate by A. baumannii was decreased significantly from 35.7% to 4.6% in the SICU (P<0.001) and from 12.7% to 7.6% in the MICU (P<0.001). The colonization rate by P. aeruginosa was decreased significantly from 17.7% to 7.4% in the SICU (P<0.001), but not in the MICU. There was also a marked decrease in carbapenem resistance, 21% to 8% in P. aeruginosa and 70% to 16% in A. baumannii. CONCLUSION: Endotracheal suction with a sterile catheter and sterile fluid is important in preventing respiratory infections and colonization by P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii in the ICU.
Acinetobacter baumannii* ; Acinetobacter* ; Catheters ; Colon* ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Pneumonia* ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa* ; Pseudomonas* ; Respiratory System ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Suction*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the core competency support program in parenting role on sense of competence in parenting, parent-child communication, and parental role satisfaction in parents of adolescents. METHODS: The study was a quasi-experimental design. Participants for the study were parents of adolescents, 12 in the experimental group and 12 in the control group. Data were analyzed using Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U test with the SPSS/WIN 14.0 program. RESULTS: Scores for sense of competence in parenting of participants in the core competency support program in parenting role were not significantly different from those in the control group. Participants in the core competency support program in parenting role had higher parent-child communication, which were significantly different from those in the control group. Participants in the core competency support program in parenting role had higher parental role satisfaction, which were significantly different from those in the control group. CONCLUSION: The core competency support program in parenting role was effective in increasing parent-child communication and parental role satisfaction for parents of adolescents. Therefore, this approach is recommended as a strategy for parents of adolescents.
Adolescent* ; Humans ; Mental Competency* ; Parenting* ; Parents* ; Personal Satisfaction

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were 1) to examine the differences in suicidal ideation and psychological variables by gender, 2) compare the contribution of demographic-behavioral variables and psychosocial variables in explaining the variance in suicidal ideation, and 3) identify the most important predictors of suicidal ideation for male adolescents and female adolescents. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 271 male adolescents and 230 female adolescents. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires, which were constructed to include SSI-C, DEP subscale of the SCL-90-R, PACI, and SWLS. The data were analyzed by the SPSS/WIN program. RESULTS: Suicidal ideation differed by gender. Depression and family communication differed by gender. The unique contribution of demographic-behavioral variables and psychosocial variables in explaining the variance in suicidal ideation differed between male adolescents and female adolescents. The significant predictors of suicidal ideation for male adolescents were life satisfaction, depression, and family communication, explaining 28% of the variance in suicidal ideation. The significant predictors of suicidal ideation for female adolescents were depression, smoking, and life satisfaction, explaining 38% of the variance in suicidal ideation. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that the approach to effective suicide prevention program for adolescents should consider gender differences.
Suicide/prevention & control/*psychology ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Sex Factors ; Risk Factors ; Regression Analysis ; Multivariate Analysis ; Male ; Korea ; Humans ; Female ; Family Relations ; Depression/psychology ; *Adolescent Psychology ; Adolescent

PURPOSE: This study was done to investigate satisfaction with life in adolescents, and to identify factors affecting satisfaction with life for adolescents. METHOD: The participants were 540 adolescents. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires which were constructed to include satisfaction with life, mental health, family adaptability and cohesion, and school adjustment. The data were analyzed using the SPSS program. RESULTS: Satisfaction with life in adolescents correlated with mental health, family adaptability and cohesion, and school adjustment. Satisfaction with life in adolescents was significantly different according to scholastic achievement, parents being alive, economic level of family, and types of family cohesion and adaptability. Significant predictors influencing satisfaction with life in adolescents were school adjustment, family cohesion, mental health, and economic level of family, and these predictors accounted for 28.3% of the variance in satisfaction with life. CONCLUSION: The above findings indicate that satisfaction with life in adolescents is influenced by mental health, family function, and school adjustment. Therefore when nursing interventions are developed to improve satisfaction with life in adolescents, these factors need to be considered.
Adolescent* ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Nursing ; Parents ; Child Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was done to investigate the satisfaction with life in adolescents, and to identify factors affecting satisfaction with life for them. METHOD: The participants were 1,057 adolescents. Data was collected through self-report questionnaires which were constructed to include satisfaction with life, self-esteem, hostility and hopelessness. The data was analyzed using the SPSS program. RESULT: Satisfaction with life for adolescents was significantly different according to school type, grade, scholastic achievement, religion, monthly income of family, conversation with parents and conversation with friends. Satisfaction with life in adolescents correlated with self-esteem, hostility and hopelessness. Significant predictors influencing satisfaction with life in adolescents were self-esteem, hopelessness, school type, conversation with parents, monthly income of family and religion, and these predictors accounted for 37.8% of the variance in satisfaction with life. CONCLUSION: The above findings indicate that satisfaction with life in adolescents is influenced by self-esteem, hostility and hopelessness. Therefore when nursing interventions are developed to improve satisfaction with life in adolescents, these factors need to be considered.
Socioeconomic Factors ; *Personal Satisfaction ; Male ; Korea ; Humans ; Female ; *Adolescent Psychology ; Adolescent

PURPOSE: This study was done to develop a cell phone addiction scale for Korean children. METHODS: The process included construction of a conceptual framework, generation of initial items, verification of content validity, selection of secondary items, preliminary study, and extraction of final items. The participants were 268 children from grades 4 to 6 in two urban elementary schools. Construct validity, internal consistence reliability, and split-half reliability were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Nine items were categorized into 2 factors explaining 61.29% of total variance. The factors were labeled as obsessive compulsion (6 items) and dependency (3 items). Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the 9 items was .87, and Spearman-Brown coefficient was .83. Scale scores identified children as high risk users, at risk users, or average users by standard scores. CONCLUSION: The above findings indicate that the cell phone addiction scale for children has good validity and reliability when used with Korean children.
Behavior, Addictive ; Cellular Phone ; Child ; Dependency (Psychology) ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results ; Child Health

PURPOSE: This study was done to investigate cybersex addiction, gender egalitarianism, sexual attitude and the allowance of sexual violence in adolescents, and to identify the relationships among these variables. METHOD: The participants were 690 students from two middle schools and three high schools in Seoul. Data was collected through selfreport questionnaires which included a cybersex addiction index, a Korean gender egalitarianism scale for adolescents, a sexual attitude scale and a scale for the allowance of sexual violence. The data was analyzed using the SPSS program. RESULTS: Of the adolescents, 93.3% reported not being addicted to cybersex, 5.7% reported being mildly addicted, 0.4% moderately addicted, and 0.6% severely addicted. Cybersex addiction, gender egalitarianism, sexual attitude and the allowance of sexual violence in adolescents were different according to general characteristics. Cybersex addiction of adolescents correlated with gender egalitarianism, sexual attitude and the allowance of sexual violence. CONCLUSION: Gender egalitarianism, sexual attitude and the allowance of sexual violence in adolescents were influenced by cybersex addiction. Therefore, nursing interventions for prevention and management of cybersex addiction need to be developed and provided to adolescents. In addition, varied programs for teaching sexuality to adolescents should be developed and provided.
Adolescent ; *Adolescent Behavior ; *Adolescent Psychology ; Authoritarianism ; Behavior, Addictive/*psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Internet ; Male ; Questionnaires ; Rape ; Sexual Behavior/*psychology ; Students/psychology

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were 1) to compare the contribution of demographic-behavioral variables and psychological variables in explaining the variance of depression, 2) identify the most important predictors of depression for Korean female adolescents. METHOD: The participants were 840 female adolescents. Data was collected through self-report questionnaires, which were constructed to include demographicbehavioral factors, self-esteem, hostility, hopelessness, and depression. Data was analyzed using the SPSS program. RESULT: Female adolescents' demographicbehavioral variables explained 17% of the variance in depression, and perceived physical health status, history of physical abuse, smoking, satisfaction of body weight, parental alcohol abuse, parental divorce, and history of suicidal attempt were the significant predictors of depression for female adolescents. Psychological variables explained 50% of the variance in depression, and self-esteem, hostility, and hopelessness were the significant predictors of depression for female adolescents. The significant predictors of depression among female adolescents' demographicbehavioral variables and psychological variables were self-esteem, hostility, hopelessness, perceived physical health status, parental alcohol problem, and history of physical abuse, explaining 52% of the variance in depression. CONCLUSION: In order to reduce depression in female adolescents, it is necessary to design an intervention program that emphasizes improving self-esteem while reducing hostility and hopelessness.
Adolescent ; *Adolescent Psychology ; Analysis of Variance ; Demography ; Depression/*psychology ; Female ; Hostility ; Humans ; Korea ; Loneliness ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Questionnaires ; Self Concept

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: With the currently available diagnostic procedure, hearing impaired children are diagnosed at an early age and hearing aids are fitted soon thereafter. Thus, appropriateness of using available correction methods for adult ears and ear models for determining and predicting hearing aid characteristics for these children need to be examined. The objectives of this study are to create a database of resonance frequency and length of external auditory canal (EAC) in all age groups and to adjust the peak frequency response of hearing aid system to take account of the changing resonance peak frequency as child gets older. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We studied 437 ears with no age limitation. We measured rear ear unaided response (REUR) with Rastronics frequency response analyzer and external ear canal length using silastic tube under microscopic or otoscopic finding. Statistical analyses were performed to determine age differences. RESULTS: Ear canal length increased with age, and an adult value was achieved by the age of 14 years. Resonance frequency decreased with age, and reached to an adult value by the age of 9 years. There was significant relationship between ear canal length and resonance frequency. CONCLUSION: Alteration in resonance frequency with age may have practical implications by affecting the insertion gain of hearing aid system in children. The data may be used as useful adjustment factors to correct the current hearing aid system in children.
Adult ; Child ; Ear ; Ear Canal* ; Hearing ; Hearing Aids ; Humans

PURPOSE: The authors of the present study report a case of phthiriasis palpebrarum treated with petrolatum ointment and tea tree oil in a 12-month-old boy. CASE SUMMARY: A bluish-gray macule and blood clots were found on the central portion of the upper eyelid of a boy who had rubbed his eyelid vigorously 1 week prior. Several 0.5 mm sized brownish-gray nits and 1.6 mm sized lice on the eyelashes were visible and was diagnosed with phthiriasis palpebrarum after light microscopic examination. The nits and lice were gently removed mechanically with the help of a white petrolatum ointment (Vaseline) and the eyelashes were cleaned with 50% tea tree oil. Nits and lice were successfully eradicated without recurrence 10 days after daily treatment with petrolatum ointment and 10% tea tree oil eyelash cleansing.
Child ; Eyelashes ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Infant ; Light ; Pediculus ; Petrolatum ; Phthiraptera ; Recurrence ; Tea ; Tea Tree Oil