The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of follow-up care for stroke survivors on primary caregivers' quality of life. Quasi-experimental research was conducted in which an experimental group and a control group-each of 15 stroke survivors and their primary caregivers-were consecutively sampled. Data collected from July to September, 1999 by interview using a structured questionnaire with both the experimental and the control groups. After a month, the two groups were given the same questionnaire. The experimental group was also given a telephone follow-up every week for a month, as well as a home visit. The survey instruments used in this study were Saha and Cooper's Modified Barthel index (11 items) for checking the stroke survivors' level of activities of daily living, and a modified form of Jeong's Quality of life (18 items) for primary caregivers' QOL level. The obtained data were analyzed by percentage, t-test. chi-test. Kruscal-Wallis test, Spearman correlation coefficient by SAS/PC program. The results were as follows: 1. There was no significant difference in the stroke survivors' ADL level. though the level of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group. 2. There was a statistical difference in the before and after treatment of the primary caregivers' QOL level. In conclusion. the follow-up a care program had useful effect on the quality of life of primary caregivers.
Activities of Daily Living ; Caregivers ; Follow-Up Studies* ; House Calls ; Humans ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Stroke* ; Survivors* ; Telephone

We report three cases of rat mite dermatitis caused by Ornithonysus bacoti(Hirst, 1913), commonly referred to it as the tropicalrat mite. The first case, a 26-year old female had multiple pinhead sized vesicles with peripheral erythematous macule on the upper arms. The second case, a 34-year-old femal had multiple variable sized vesicles with erythematous base on the extremeties. The third case, a 43-year old male had multiple erythematous macules and papules with central punctum on the trunl: and extremities. Histopathologic sections from lesions of the first and second patient showed moderate perivascular lymphahistiocytic infiltration intermingled with some eosinophils. Causative mites, Ornithonyssus bacoti, female were collected around the skin lesion in rase 1, from the house dust in case 2 and furniture in case 3.
Adult ; Animals ; Arm ; Dermatitis* ; Dust ; Eosinophils ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Interior Design and Furnishings ; Male ; Mites* ; Rats* ; Skin

We report a case of morphea profunda in a 21-year-old male who had diffuse brown sclerotic plaques on his extremities. Laboratory findings showed peripheral eosinophilia and an increased titers for anti-DNA and anti-nuclear antibodies. Histopathologic findings showed diffuse fibrosis and a thickening of the lower dermis and subcutaneous tissue. He has been treated with hydroxychloroquine 400mg per day and the sclerosis of the skin improved.
Antibodies ; Dermis ; Eosinophilia ; Extremities ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Male ; Scleroderma, Localized* ; Sclerosis ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of lower respiratory infection in infants and young children, but the pathogenesis of RSV-induced inflammation is not well defined. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In order to examine the potential interactions between virus-infected airway epithelial cells and neutrophils, we studied the ability of neutrophils to adhere to yirus-infected airway epithelial cell monolayers by myeloperoxidase assay. Also we measured the ability of airway epithelial cells to secrete interleukin-8(IL-8) and inter-cellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) in virus-infected airway epithelial cell cultures by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The degree of IL-8 and ICAM-1 gene expression in the RSV-infected BEAS-2B cell cultures were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). RESULTS: The RSV-infected BEAS-2B cell resulted in significantly enhanced level of neutrophil adherence compared to the uninfected control(p (0.001). IL-8 and ICAM-1 production significantly increased by RSV infection(p<0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between neutrophil adherence and IL-8 level(r=0.73, p=0.002), and ICAM-1 level (r=0.843, p=0.001) in RSV-infected cells. The degree of both IL-8 and ICAM-1 mRNA expression increased in the RSV-infected cells compared with the uninfected ones. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that RSV infection significantly enhances the production of IL-8 and ICAM-1 in airway epithelial cells which then results in increased neutrophil adherence.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Child ; Epithelial Cells* ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Infant ; Inflammation ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Interleukin-8 ; Neutrophils* ; Peroxidase ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses* ; RNA, Messenger

Service diversification is recognized as an important strategy against turbulent environmental change. This study is designed to find out the trend of service diversification in Korean health care organizations and also to identify factors associated with the degree of service diversification. Data were collected from 69 hospitals out of 71 hospitals with over 300 beds. Important findings are summarized below. 1. Types of diversification are closely related to hospital size. Large hospitals have a tendency to provide sophisticated service requiring specialized skills and equipment, while small hospital have concentrated their efforts on health screening programs. 2. The more competitive and bigger hospitals are, the greater number of services that provide. Also, hospitals operating rational management information systems provide more services. Contrary to the expectation, hospitals with a low performance during last 3 years showed more service diversification. 3. A trend of more diversification was observed in hospitals whose chief executive officer used a prospector strategy. 4. A multiple regression analysis revealed that bed size, competitive environment, degree of rational management, and the growth pattern were significantly associated with teh service diversification.
Delivery of Health Care ; Health Facility Size ; Hospital Bed Capacity ; Management Information Systems ; Mass Screening

No abstract available.
Animals ; Cats* ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Phrenic Nerve*

There are increasing interest and need for information on health care consumer with the significance of hospital marketing and strategic planning being increasingly emphasized. This study was conducted to investigate the criteria for selection of medical facilities according to the characteristics of health care consumer by the types of medical services on a sample of 1,500 population aged 20 years and above. Major findings are as follows; 1. When considering the criteria for selection of medical facilities into two factors, namely, quality or convenience factors, convenience factor was the major contributor for outpatient and dental services whereas it was quality factor for inpatient services. 2. Females and those residing in large cities selected medical facilities based on convenience factor in the outpatient services. In the case of inpatient service, persons who considered their present health status to be good and whose ages were 50 years old and above choose medical facilities based on quality factor. 3. Persons who considered medical facilities to be profit-making tended to choose medical facilities based on convenience factor for outpatient services. There were no differences in the cases of inpatient and dental services. 4. There was no significant difference on the criteria for selection of medical facilities according to the decision maker for selection or trust on medical facilities. On the use of health service information, selection of medical facilities was based on qPality factor for those who made more use of the information in the cases of outpatient and dental services. 5. Analysis using the logistic regression model on the criteria for the selection of medical facilities with the characteristics of health care consumer as independent variables was performed. The selection of medical facilities was significantly related with residential area, sex, and use of information on medical facilities for outpatient services and with age, average monthly income, and perception of health status for inpatient services. For dental services significant association with residential area and use of information on medical facilities was seen. The results of this study, despite some limitations, can be used as baseline data for marketing and strategic planning of hospital management.
Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Health Services ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Logistic Models ; Marketing ; Middle Aged ; Outpatients ; Patient Selection

BACKGROUND: The authors studied to estimate the frequency of irregular antibodies and their significance in blood transfusion and antenatal care in Korea. METHODS: Irregular antibodies were tested by immediate saline spin, 37degrees C albumin and antiglobulin test for 2,008 transfusion candidates and 1,047 pregnant women at Severance hospital using commercial screening and identification cells (Dade, U.S.A.). RESULTS: The irregular antibodies were detected in 38 (1.24%) of total 3,055 subjects (transfusion candidates: 0.9%, pregnant women: 1.91%) . In transfusion candidates, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, cold antibodies (anti-M, anti-P 1), Rh antibodies and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 56%, 22%, 17%, and 5%, respectively. In pregnant women, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, Rh antibodies, anti-Jra, and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 45%, 45%, 5% and 5%, respectively. At immediate saline phase, 58% of irregular antibodies were detected. At 37degrees C albumin phase, 90% of irregular antibodies were detected and only 10% of irregular antibodies were detected at antiglobulin phase. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence rates of clinically important irregular antibodies were low, 1/1000 of irregular antibodies could not be detected. Therefore, irregular antibody screening should be performed in all pretransfusion test. And, if antibody detection tests are negative, immediate saline crossmaching methods are acceptable in Korea.
Antibodies* ; Blood Transfusion ; Coombs Test ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence*

BACKGROUND: The authors studied to estimate the frequency of irregular antibodies and their significance in blood transfusion and antenatal care in Korea. METHODS: Irregular antibodies were tested by immediate saline spin, 37degrees C albumin and antiglobulin test for 2,008 transfusion candidates and 1,047 pregnant women at Severance hospital using commercial screening and identification cells (Dade, U.S.A.). RESULTS: The irregular antibodies were detected in 38 (1.24%) of total 3,055 subjects (transfusion candidates: 0.9%, pregnant women: 1.91%) . In transfusion candidates, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, cold antibodies (anti-M, anti-P 1), Rh antibodies and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 56%, 22%, 17%, and 5%, respectively. In pregnant women, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, Rh antibodies, anti-Jra, and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 45%, 45%, 5% and 5%, respectively. At immediate saline phase, 58% of irregular antibodies were detected. At 37degrees C albumin phase, 90% of irregular antibodies were detected and only 10% of irregular antibodies were detected at antiglobulin phase. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence rates of clinically important irregular antibodies were low, 1/1000 of irregular antibodies could not be detected. Therefore, irregular antibody screening should be performed in all pretransfusion test. And, if antibody detection tests are negative, immediate saline crossmaching methods are acceptable in Korea.
Antibodies* ; Blood Transfusion ; Coombs Test ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence*

Actinomycosis is an indolent, suppurative infection caused by an anaerobic gram-positive organism (usually actinomyces israelii) which usually causes infection in the face, mediastitum, lung, and abdomen. Primary esophageal actinomycosis which is not related with pulmonary or mediastinal actinomycosis, is very rare, especially in immunocompetent host. A 58-year-old woman has been suffered from dysphagia, odynophagia, and chest pain after insertion of esophageal stent in esophageal acid stricture. She underwent a esophagectomy with esophagogastrostomy for above mentioned symptoms. Pathologic diagnosis was a esophageal actinomycosis.
Abdomen ; Actinomyces ; Actinomycosis* ; Chest Pain ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Deglutition Disorders ; Diagnosis ; Esophagectomy ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Stents*