PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with career maturity among Korean high school students. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted using secondary data from the 2012 Korean Welfare Panel Study (KoWePS). The participants were 496 high school students who completed the supplemental survey for children, which included items on career maturity, self-esteem, study stress, teacher attachment, relationship with parents, peer attachment, depression and anxiety. Descriptive statistics, the chi-square-test, the t-test, and a decision tree were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The decision tree identified five final nodes predicting career maturity after forcing self-esteem as the first variable. The highest predicted rate of high career maturity was associated with high self-esteem, experience of career counseling, and high teacher attachment. The lowest predicted rate of high career maturity was associated with low self-esteem and low attachment to friends. CONCLUSION: Factors influencing career maturity were varied by levels of self-esteem in Korean high school students. Thus, it is necessary to develop different approaches to enhance career maturity according to levels of self-esteem.
Adolescent ; Anxiety ; Child ; Decision Trees ; Depression ; Friends ; Humans ; Parents ; Self Concept ; Statistics as Topic ; Vocational Guidance

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are regarded as modifiable risk factors for mental health in several populations. Although the consumption of SSBs is steadily increasing in Korea, there is scant evidence regarding the impact of SSB consumption on depression and suicidal ideation. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of SSB consumption with depression and suicidal ideation among adults in Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We used the data for 5,465 participants (2,170 men and 3,295 women) aged ≥ 20 years from the 2014 and 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The subjects were divided into four groups according to SSB consumption using a food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of SSB consumption with depression and suicidal ideation, adjusting for sociodemographic, health behavior, and dietary variables. RESULTS: Participants consuming ≥ 1 SSB/day had a significantly higher risk of depression (odds ratio [OR], 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–2.18; P < 0.001) and suicidal ideation (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.13–4.28; P < 0.001) compared with those in the non-SSB group after adjusting for potential confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that SSB consumption is positively associated with depression and suicidal ideation in Korean adults.

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of recorded video monitoring on students' self-reflection after completing their clinical performance examination. Taking into account the particular cases involved in the examination, the present study utilized history-taking, physical examination, and patient education as bases for evaluating information-establishment ability, and asking, listening, understanding, explaining, and connectedness as the bases for evaluating patient-physician interaction ability. Student self-monitoring through recorded video feedback was carried out three days after completion of their clinical performance examination. Students self-evaluated their performance with a 10-point scale before and after self-monitoring. The results of this study show that students have a general tendency to lower their own self-evaluation scores after self-monitoring. Although there was not a statistically significant change of interrelationship in the information-establishment ability evaluation, there was a meaningful change of interrelationship in the patient-physician interaction ability evaluation after self-monitoring; specifically, in the case of acute lower abdominal pain, a high correlation was found (r=0.31, p=0.02) between the evaluation scores of standardized patients and students related to patient-physician interaction ability. This implies that self-monitoring enables the students to acquire a reflective viewpoint from which to evaluate their own performance. Therefore, it can be said that self-monitoring through recorded video feedback is a valuable method for students to use in reviewing their performance in patient-physician interactions.
Abdominal Pain ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Humans ; Methods ; Patient Education as Topic ; Patient Simulation ; Physical Examination ; Physician-Patient Relations ; Self-Assessment

Ocular disturbances related to cranial nerve lesion or increased intracranial pressure are well known in cryptococcal meningitis, but internuclear ophthaloplegia is very rare and only two cases have been reported to our knowledge. We report the third patient of internuclear ophthalmoplegia in cryptococal meningitis. The internuclear ophthalmoplegia in our case persisted for one year with a demonstrable lesion in brain MRI, in contrast to the other cases in which intranuclear ophthalmoplegia was transient and no responsible lesion was observed.
Brain ; Cranial Nerves ; Cryptococcosis* ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningitis ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal ; Ocular Motility Disorders ; Ophthalmoplegia

Isolated cranial neuropathies involving the facial nerve are very rare manifestations of pontine infarction, and have not been described in paramedian pontine infarction. We report a 67-year-old woman who developed sudden and long-lasting right facial nerve paralysis accompanied by transient ipsilateral abducens nerve palsy. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed two discrete simultaneous infarctions in the right inferior paramedian pontine area, which seemed to correspond to the facial nerve fascicle and the abducens nerve fascicle, respectively. Paramedian pontine infarction can be one of the causes of facial nerve palsy and present as an isolated or predominant sign.
Abducens Nerve Diseases* ; Abducens Nerve* ; Aged ; Brain ; Cranial Nerve Diseases ; Facial Nerve ; Female ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Paralysis

Background and Objectives: Recently, the improvement of music perception abilities for emotional stability and high quality of life has become important for the hearing loss group. This study aimed to examine and compare the music perception abilities of the normal hearing (NH) and hearing amplification system (HAS) groups to find the needs and methods of music rehabilitation. Subjects and Methods: The data were collected from 15 NH adults (33.1±11.4 years) and 15 HAS adults (38.7±13.4 years), of whom eight wore cochlear implant [CI] systems and seven wore CI and hearing aid systems depending on pitch, melody, rhythm, timbre, emotional reaction, and harmony perception tests. A mismatch negativity test was also conducted, and attitudes toward and satisfaction with listening to music were measured. Results: The correction percentages for the NH and HAS groups were 94.0%±6.1% and 75.3%±23.2% in the pitch test; 94.0%±7.1% and 30.3%±25.9% in the melody test; 99.3%±1.8% and 94.0%± 7.6% in the rhythm test; 78.9%±41.8% and 64.4%±48.9% in the timbre test; 96.7%±10.4% and 81.7%±16.3% in the emotional reaction test; and 85.7%±14.1% and 58.4%±13.9% in the harmony test, respectively, showing statistical significance (p<0.05). For the mismatch negativity test, the area of the waveform was smaller in the HAS groups than in the NH groups, with 70 dB of stimulation showing no statistical significance. The response rates for satisfaction with listening to music were 80% and 93.3% for the NH and HAS groups, showing no statistical significance. Conclusions Although the HAS group showed lower music perception ability than the NH group overall, they showed a strong desire for music listening. Also, the HAS group revealed a higher degree of satisfaction even when listening to unfamiliar music played with unusual instruments. It is suggested that systematic and constant musical rehabilitation based on musical elements and different listening experiences will improve music perception qualities and abilities for HAS users.

Purpose: This study aims to propose revised inpatient nursing fee schedules that address three discrepancies between actual nurse staffing levels in general wards and the corresponding patient payment structures. Methods: A total of 45 tertiary hospitals, 329 general hospitals, and 1,379 hospitals from publicly released data for 2021~2022 were analyzed. This analysis focused on three primary discrepancies between (1) the staffing grades under which patients were hospitalized and the corresponding grades for which they were charged; (2) the staffing grades determined by bed-to-nurse and patient-to-nurse criteria; and (3) the current differentiation rates of nursing fees and the expected differentiation rates based on the number of nurses required for each grade. Results: The first discrepancy occurred in 8.9% of tertiary hospitals, 21.0% of general hospitals, and 26.0% of hospitals. The bed-to-nurse and patient-to-nurse grades differed by 2.23 and 2.29 grades on average in general hospitals and hospitals, respectively. The current differentiation rates were higher than the expected differentiation rates. New nursing fee schedules were suggested to resolve those discrepancies. Conclusion Nursing fees should be charged to reflect the staffing levels under which patients were cared for and proportionate to the number of nurses required to provide the corresponding staffing levels.

HLA-matched platelet transfusion is required for patients with platelet refractoriness due to HLA alloimmunity. From 2013 to 2019, the Korean Red Cross has recruited 4,080 donors for HLA-matched platelets. The patient’s HLA information should be submitted to the Korean Red Cross in accordance with the WHO HLA serologic specificities. When HLA-matched platelets are requested, the Korean Red Cross selects the appropriate donors based on Duquesnoy’s matching grade classification (1977) and CREGs defined by Takemoto, Fuller, and Rodey (2007) and then contacts them to request blood donations. Platelets of HLA-matched donors are collected by apheresis and supplied to the hospital. To make this process more efficient, the Korean Red Cross introduced a systemic standard work procedure using a computer program for blood donor management and HLA matching. Owing to the extensive polymorphism of the HLA types, expansion of the donor pool would be required to supply HLA-matched platelets sufficiently. As the number of registered donors for HLA-matched platelets is limited, it should only be ordered when the indication criteria for its use are met. The Korean Red Cross is planning to study genotype-based matching strategies for patients with rare HLA types and receive patients’ laboratory test results from medical institutions to evaluate the effectiveness of HLA-matched platelet transfusions.

HLA-matched platelet transfusion is required for patients with platelet refractoriness due to HLA alloimmunity. From 2013 to 2019, the Korean Red Cross has recruited 4,080 donors for HLA-matched platelets. The patient’s HLA information should be submitted to the Korean Red Cross in accordance with the WHO HLA serologic specificities. When HLA-matched platelets are requested, the Korean Red Cross selects the appropriate donors based on Duquesnoy’s matching grade classification (1977) and CREGs defined by Takemoto, Fuller, and Rodey (2007) and then contacts them to request blood donations. Platelets of HLA-matched donors are collected by apheresis and supplied to the hospital. To make this process more efficient, the Korean Red Cross introduced a systemic standard work procedure using a computer program for blood donor management and HLA matching. Owing to the extensive polymorphism of the HLA types, expansion of the donor pool would be required to supply HLA-matched platelets sufficiently. As the number of registered donors for HLA-matched platelets is limited, it should only be ordered when the indication criteria for its use are met. The Korean Red Cross is planning to study genotype-based matching strategies for patients with rare HLA types and receive patients’ laboratory test results from medical institutions to evaluate the effectiveness of HLA-matched platelet transfusions.

Objectives: Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between the anxiety at first year and chronotype and sleep quality at third year in medical students. We also investigated the association between sleep quality, chronotype, depression and resilience at third year. Methods: Fifty two medical students (36 males, 69%, aged 21 ± 0.93) in first year, and forty four medical students (31 males, 70.5%, aged 23.05 ± 0.99) at third year answered Beck Depression Inventory 2, Beck anxiety inventory, Insomnia severity index-K, Composite scale of morningness and Conner-Davidson Resilience scale-10. Multiple linear regression analysises were performed to identify predictors of chronotype, sleep quality and resilience. Results: Higher anxiety (β = -0.434, p = 0.006) at first year was significant predictor of eveningness at third year, while lower anxiety score (β = 0.606, p < 0.001) at first year was significant predictor of sleep quality at third year. Lower sleep quality (β = -0.314, p = 0.042) and eveningness (β = 0.315, p = 0.041) were associated with low resilience at third year. Also, Lesser depression (β = -0.717, p < 0.001) was associated with higher resilience at third year. Conclusion Our study showed that higher anxiety in first year had significantly related with eveningness and poor sleep quality at third year. In addition, higher sleep quality, morningness and less depression had significantly associated with better resilience at third year.