PURPOSE: The present study aims to verify the effectiveness of the reality therapy for patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: It is designed as a quasi-experimental study by which a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest is conducted. The test was conducted with 30 patients with schizophrenia who were hospitalized at a mental hospital in South Korea. Fifteen of the patients participated in the reality therapy program while another 15 in the control group. The effects are measured by marking scores in the areas of the locus of control, selfesteem, and problem-focused stress coping of each participant. RESULTS: The general characteristics and dependent variables related to outcome variables were controlled to be equal between the two groups. It turns out that the internal locus of control, self-esteem, and problemfocused stress coping are statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Findings show that the reality therapy caused positive changes in terms of the internal locus of control, self-esteem, and problem-focused stress coping of the observed schizophrenic patients.
Stress, Psychological/prevention & control ; Self Concept ; Schizophrenic Psychology ; Schizophrenia/*therapy ; Reality Therapy/*methods ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Korea ; Internal-External Control ; Humans ; Female ; Adult

PURPOSE: This study is to identify factors associated with performance of occupational health services in small-sized workplaces in Korea. METHODS: The data were collected from a random sample of 1,158 occupational health managers working for small-sized workplaces across the nation in which occupational health services were supported by Korean Industrial Health Association. A structured questionnaire was self-administrated by occupational health managers about characteristics of workplaces, occupational health managers, and performance level of occupational health services. RESULTS: Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that factors associated with performance of occupational health services in small-sized workplaces included supervisor being designated, occupational health manager having received safety and health training, and employer's concern with activities of health management. CONCLUSION: Government should make efforts to raise the level of employer's concern to occupational health activities. And it is needed to promote health managing staff as a core personnel to self-management for occupational health system.
Occupational Health ; Occupational Health Services ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Self Care ; Small Business

PURPOSE: This study is to identify factors associated with performance of occupational health services in small-sized workplaces in Korea. METHODS: The data were collected from a random sample of 1,158 occupational health managers working for small-sized workplaces across the nation in which occupational health services were supported by Korean Industrial Health Association. A structured questionnaire was self-administrated by occupational health managers about characteristics of workplaces, occupational health managers, and performance level of occupational health services. RESULTS: Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that factors associated with performance of occupational health services in small-sized workplaces included supervisor being designated, occupational health manager having received safety and health training, and employer's concern with activities of health management. CONCLUSION: Government should make efforts to raise the level of employer's concern to occupational health activities. And it is needed to promote health managing staff as a core personnel to self-management for occupational health system.
Occupational Health ; Occupational Health Services ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Self Care ; Small Business

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) on anthropometric measurements, quality of diets, and blood parameters through the weight loss program in over weight and obese women. The subjects (n = 76, age 31.1 +/- 8.4 y, weight 70.3 +/- 7.9 kg, BMI 27.2 +/- 2.4 kg/m2) without medical disease were treated with MNT 5 times for 12 weeks by dietitian. Anthropometric measurements included height, weight, fat mass, lean body mass, triceps and thigh skin-fold thickness, mid-arm, waist, hip and thigh circumference. Dietary assessments were accomplished using 3-days food records, diet quality index (DQI), and dietary pattern. The dietary pattern was assessed by daily energy intakes from breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks of calorie density, and numbers of eating. Blood levels of leptin, lipid profiles (total lipids, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol), and insulin were analyzed. Anthropometric measurements decreased significantly after MNT (p < 0.001). Waist circumference was reduced most rapidly and tricep skin-fold thickness was reduced most effectively after 12 weeks of MNT. Daily energy intake, calorie density and numbers of eating incidence decreased significantly (1796.4 +/- 395.5 vs 1402.9 +/- 217.8 kcal/day, 162.3 +/- 56.5 vs 113.4 +/- 30.1, 5.0 +/- 1.4 vs 3.8 +/- 0.4, respectively, p < 0.05). The daily energy intake from breakfast and snacks significantly decreased (p < 0.001). Calories from snack, calorie density of snack and numbers of snacking also decreased (p < 0.05). The mean scores of DQI significantly increased (7.6 +/- 2.1 vs 6.5 +/- 1.6, p < 0.05). The plasma levels of total lipid, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and leptin decreased significantly after MNT (489.8 +/- 100.4 vs 447.0 +/- 87.3 mg/dL, 187.7 +/- 34.0 vs 175.9 +/- 31.5 mg/dL, 115.2 +/- 29.2 vs 109.2 +/- 26.7 mg/dL, 15.7 +/- 7.6 vs 12.4+/- 5.9 ng/mL, respectively, p < 0.05). These results indicate that MNT efficiently reduced the body weight through the changes in dietary intake, dietary patterns and dietary quality. MNT also changed body composition and reduced the levels of plasma lipid, cholesterol and leptin.
Body Composition ; Body Weight ; Breakfast ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Diet Records ; Eating ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Hip ; Humans ; Incidence ; Insulin ; Leptin ; Lunch ; Meals ; Nutrition Therapy* ; Nutritionists ; Obesity ; Plasma ; Snacks ; Thigh ; Triglycerides ; Waist Circumference ; Weight Loss ; Weight Reduction Programs

PURPOSE: This descriptive study was done to identify the academic achievement, self-directed learning (SDL), and critical thinking disposition (CTD) of nursing students according to their learning styles. METHOD: The participants were 240 nursing students. Data were collected using structured questionnaires which included Kolb's Learning Style Inventory, Academic Achievement in Fundamental Nursing and Health Assessment, Self Directed Learning Readiness Scale, and California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory. Data were analyzed using chi2 test, ANOVA, Pearson' correlation coefficients, and Spearman rank correlation coefficient. RESULTS: One third of respondents were shown to be Convergers in their learning style (33.3%). The Academic Achievement of students who were Convergers was significantly higher than those who were Divergers or Accommodators (F=5.95, p=.001). The SDL and CTD of students who were Convergers were significantly higher than Divergers and Assimilators (F=9.67, p<.001 and F=8.42, p<.001). No significant correlations were found between Academic Achievement and SDL or CTD, but a statistically significant positive correlation was found between SDL and CTD (r=.68, p<.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate that learning style influences academic achievement, SDL and CTD.
Achievement ; California ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Humans ; Learning ; Self-Assessment ; Students, Nursing ; Thinking

OBJECTIVES: Heavy metals ingested through the consumption of aquatic products can accumulate in the human body over the long-term and cause various health problems. This study aims to present comprehensive data on the amount of heavy metals found in fish and shellfish in Korea using a systematic review of studies that report on that issue. METHODS: The study used the following databases: PubMed, Korean Studies Information Service System, and Research Information Sharing Service. The search terms for PubMed included fish OR shellfish OR seafood AND mercury OR cadmium OR lead OR heavy metal AND Korea. The search terms for Korean Studies Information Service System and Research Information Sharing Service included eoryu sueun, eoryu kadeumyum, eoryu nab, eoryu jung-geumsog, paeryu sueun, paeryu kadeumyum, paeryu nab, paeryu jung-geumsog, eopaeryu sueun, eopaeryu kadeumyum, eopaeryu nab, and eopaeryu jung-geumsog. RESULTS: A total of 32 articles were selected for review. The total mercury, lead, and cadmium concentrations in fish and shellfish reported in each of the articles are summarized, as are the species of fish and shellfish with relatively high concentrations of heavy metals. Total mercury concentrations tended to be higher in predatory fish species, such as sharks, billfishes, and tuna, while lead and cadmium concentrations tended to be higher in shellfish. CONCLUSION: This paper is the first to report a comprehensive summary of the concentrations of heavy metals in fish and shellfish. This data could be used as evidence to protect Koreans from exposure to heavy metals due to the consumption of highly polluted aquatic products.
Cadmium ; Fishes ; Human Body ; Information Dissemination ; Information Services ; Korea ; Metals, Heavy ; Seafood ; Sharks ; Shellfish ; Tuna

BACKGOUND: The late referral to nephrologist was founded as independent risk factor of poor survival in hemodialysis patients. Patients referred lately are prone to initiate dialysis urgently through temporary catheter and the use of catheter increase the incidence of catheter related complications. But patients' survival may be influenced by multiple and more complex factors beside referral pattern and use of catheter. So we planed to evaluate the effect of referral pattern on patients' survival and related factors. METHODS: This analysis included 629 incident hemodialysis patients in single center. Demographical, clinical, laboratory data were collected retrospectively. Early referral was defined as first nephrology visit over 3 months prior to initiation of dialysis. Clinical characteristics were compared between early (ER) and late referral groups (LR). Survival analysis and Cox models were performed to assess the relationship of referral pattern and mortality. Significant differences were defined as p value less than 0.05. RESULTS: ER included 269 patients and their mean age, male proportion were not different from those of LR. In ER, pre-dialysis education program and nutritional counseling were offered much more than LR and lesser catheter usage, higher serum albumin at the initiation of dialysis. ER survived longer but in Cox models, only older age, presence of diabetes, lower serum albumin at the initiation of dialysis were independent risk factor for death (odds ratio 1.047, 1.547, 0.615, respectively) CONCLUSION: Although early referral decrease catheter use at the initiation and urgent hemodialysis, classical risk factors such as old age, presence of diabetes, nutritional status at the initiation are more important in patients prognosis.
Catheters ; Counseling ; Dialysis ; Education ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Mortality ; Nephrology* ; Nutritional Status ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Referral and Consultation* ; Renal Dialysis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin