In chronic illness patients, promotion and self-care are important strategies for maintaining and improving health. Self-care behavior of hypertensive patient are affected by various variables. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between three cognitive-perceptual resources-self efficacy, hardiness and perceived barriers and self-care in hypertensive patients. The subjects for the study were 102 patients who admitted to K medical center or visited to out-patient ward. The instruments used for this study included a survey of general characteristic. self-care, self efficacy, health related hardiness and perceived barriers. Analysis of data was done by use of mean, t-test, ANOVA, Person correlation coefficient and multiple regression The results of this study are summarized as follows: 1)The average score for the self-care was 56.18, for the hardiness was 120.90, for the self efficacy was 59.46 and for the perceived barriers was 34.60. 2)The relationships between the variables of self-care and cognitive-perceptual resource-self efficacy, hardiness, perceived barriers were significant. Self-care was significantly related to hardiness(r=.47, p<.001), suggesting that the person with high hardiness got higher self care scores. Self-care was significantly related to perceived barriers(r=-.41, p<.001), suggesting that the person with high perceived barriers got higher self care scores. A slight but significant correlation was also found between self-care and self efficacy(r=.26, p<.01). 3)In the relationships between general characteristics variables and self-care there were significant differences in gender(t=2.46, p<.05), job(t=3.72, p<.05), duration of illness(t=4.92, p<.05). 4)Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between self-care and independent variables(self-efficacy, hardiness, perceived barriers) and selected general characteristics variables-job, duration of illness. These variables accounted for 36% of the variance in self-care score(F=13.34, p<.000). The hardiness was the most predictive factor(R2=19%) followed by job and perceived barriers. The finding of this study have implications for education of hypertensive patients and health care providers. For chronically ill patients adhere to self-care, we should focus on determining their personal resources such as hardiness and perceived barriers.
Chronic Disease ; Education ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Outpatients ; Self Care* ; Self Efficacy

Fatigue is regarded as a universal and unavoidable side effects of chemotherapy. Most of patients in chemotherapy prefer resting and reducing their level of activity, but reduced physical activity can actually decrease physical strength and functional status to produce secondary fatigue. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of rhythmic walking exercise on physical strength, fatigue, and functional status of breast cancer patients in adjutant chemotherapy. A matched control group pretest-pottiest design was used. Seventeen subjects of the experimental group were taught the rhythmic walking exercise(Winningham etal, 1990) on their first visiting day and encouraged to practice it at home throughout that treatment cycle(four weeks). Participants kept an everyday exercise diary that included pulse rates, exercise time and subjective data. The rhythmic walking exercise consists of approximately 30-minute walking, everyday if possible for 4 weeks. Outcomes were measured by each instrument :1) physical strength by the treadmill test estimated the walking ability. The subject is instructed to walk as long as possible to the level of their tolerance ;2)functional status by the Inventory of Functional Status-Cancer(Tollman et al, 1991) ; and 3)fatigue was measured by the Piper Fatigue Scale in both groups at five different times-before beginning chemotherapy(pretest) and one time per week for 4 weeks. Data were analyzed with mean, standard deviation, X2-test, t-test, repeated measure MANOVA using SPSSWIN program. Results were obtained as follows :1)The physical strength of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group following the rhythmic walking exercise(t=3.92, p<.001). 2)The fatigue scores of the experimental group measured at the end of each week were significantly lower than those of the control group following the rhythmic walking exercise (1st week ; F=6.51, p<.016, after 1st week ; 863, p<.0001, after 2nd week ; F=46.754, p<.0001, after 3rd week ; F=60. 183, p<.0001, after 4th week). 3)The functional status of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group following the rhythmic walking exercise (t=13.20, p<.0001). The results suggest that the appropriate rhythmic walking exercise for the breast cancer patients in adjutant chemotherapy can improve physical strength and functional status, and ultimately decrease the secondary fatigue.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Drug Therapy* ; Exercise Test ; Fatigue* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Motor Activity ; Piper ; Walking*

No abstract available.
Education*

No abstract available.

Ingrowing toenail gives affected patients a great discomfort. The authors proposed a simple surgical method with the simplest anesthetic technique for the management of the ailment. The procedure includes: local anesthetic infiltrations in two directions from a point on the affected toe, splitting and removal of the ingrowing part of affected nail plate, exposure and electrodesiccation of part of nail matrix responible for the growth of the affected part of a nail plate and one stitch repair of the proximal nail fold.
Humans ; Nails* ; Toes

No abstract available.
Accidents, Occupational* ; Humans ; Spinal Injuries*

The purpose of this study is to compare sexual concerns and adjustment between men and women with spinal cord injuries. A total of 108 persons (67 men and 41 women), registered to the Spinal Cord Injury Organization or admitted at rehabilitation unit from February 1999 to February 2000, were selected as subjects of the study, Participants answered the questionnaires concerning importance of life events, sexual concern, sexual adjustment, relationship with a sex partner, and depression. The results are as follows 1) There were no significant differences between men and women in the general characteristics except sexual dysfunction. 2) With respect to eleven different life areas, sex life ranked the fifth among men, whereas it occupied the lowest position for women among the 11 areas. However economic status was the most highly-ranked for both sex. 3) Men took much interest in the methods and techniques for achieving sexual satisfaction, He]ping a partner cope emotionally with limitations on sexual activity, whereas women were interested in Helping a partner cope emotionally with limitations on sexual activityand ''Ability to have children 4) The means of sexua] adjustment, relationship with a sex partner, and depression among men were higher than women. But there was no significant difference between two groups. As a result, the study suggests that there are no significant differences in the general characteristics between men and women with spinal cord injuries except sexual dysfunction. Men evaluated the sexual events highly compared to women, and differences were also shown in terms of sexual concerns between men and women. Therefore differential approaches to sexual rehabilitation are required in both socio-psychological and physical aspects for men and particularly in socio-psychological respect for women.
Child ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rehabilitation ; Sexual Behavior ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord*

Sexual life is one of the most important things for the quality of living, which nobody can ignore. Especially, spinal cord injury is one of the most typical disabilities, which can cause abrupt changes of sexuality. Hence, sexual adjustment and its subordinate problems have to be dealt with among various problems caused by spinal cord injury. The purpose of this study was to comparative sexual interest and adjustment between the married and the unmarried people with SCI. A total of 134 persons who were registered members of SCI organization and admitted rehabilitation unit between February and June 1999 were included in the study. The sample consisted of 69 unmarried and 64 married people with SCI. Participants answered the 15 items concerning sexual interest. sexual adjustment. The results are as follows: 1) The mean score of sexual interest for the unmarried was 16.4. From seven topics related to sexuality, the greatest interest was to cope emotionally with changes in sexual functioning. For the married. mean score of sexual interest was 13.8 and the greatest interest was to help a partner cope emotionally with limitation on sexual dysfunction. There were significant difference sexual interest between two groups(t= 3.75. p=.00). 2) Each mean score for sexual adjustment in the married and the unmarried was 20.0, 19.6. There were no significance difference sexual interest between two groups(t= .24, p= .811). However, there was a statistically significant difference of sexual interest. 3) Sexual interests and adjustments are not correlated in case of the unmarried that have r score=.224. while they are corrlated in case of the married that have r=.398. Because the average age of the SCI becomes lower and lower. sexual rehabilitation programs should be given the unmarried as well as the married with SCI. In conclusion, the spinal injured's major concerns about their sexual life are different between the married and the unmarried - the unmarried are interested in practical problems such as methods and techniques to achieve sexual satisfaction and their fertility, while the married give priority to considerations about their spouse. Paying attention to different sexual interest according to marital status. we should make two different sexual rehabilitation programs for each group. One program including support groups with their sposes for the married, the other program to give a chance to solve problems of sexuality for the unmarried with SCI.
Fertility ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Rehabilitation ; Self-Help Groups ; Sexuality ; Single Person* ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Spouses

PURPOSE: This exploratory study was to identify the use of complementary and alternative medicine(CAM) in women with breast cancer and to analyze which factor influence CAM use. METHODS: 114 patients with breast cancer were identified and approached. The instrument used to gather data were the common types, main reasons and effects as well as stress, mood states and fatigue. RESULTS: 42.7% of all participants reported the use of CAM. The most common types of CAM used were Phellinus linteus, elm tree, and vitamin C. The main reasons for CAM use were to boost the immune system and to prevent recurrence. Prayer, massage, Shitake mushroom, and Ganoderma lucidum were, identified as being more effective than others. 93.6% of the respondents informed their physicians of their use of CAM. Logistic regression analysis determined that stress, mood states, and duration after diagnosis were factors significantly associated with CAM use. CONCLUSION: CAM use is increasing among patients with breast cancer. Health care professionals are in the main position to identify what treatments patients are using and implement CAM therapies that can be helpful to relieve patient symptoms related to treatment and psychological distress.
Agaricales ; Ascorbic Acid ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Complementary Therapies* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis ; Fatigue ; Female ; Humans ; Immune System ; Logistic Models ; Massage ; Recurrence ; Reishi ; Religion ; Ulmus

PUPPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of breast self-examination (BSE) education between at education and three months. METHOD: The study subjects were consisted of 30 women chosen from those in a Catholic church in Seoul. The data was collected by using questionnare at two different times: immediately after the BSE education and 3 momths after. RESULT: At three months, women who performed BSE was 50.0% and the number of BSE practce was 2.53. There was statistically significant change on the score of the knowledge, barrier and practice between at education and three months later. Susceptibility was increased after three month, but wasn't significant different. Confidence, motivation after three months were decreased from the time of initial BSE education and wasn't significantly changed. It was found that motivation about BSE explained 44.2% of variance. CONCLUSION: The findings showed that the knowledge of BSE, and attitudes and practice were change between at the time of the first survey and at three months. Therefore, the intensive education about BSE can be effective to enhance women's health belief and practice to perform BSE for early detection of breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Self-Examination* ; Breast* ; Education* ; Female ; Humans ; Motivation ; Seoul ; Women's Health