PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to examine the relationship between health belief and exercise compliance among elderly adults at senior centers and to identify factors influencing their exercise compliance. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 100 elderly adults who were using senior centers in J City. Data were collected from the 5th of August to the 14th of September in 2014 using a questionnaire about general characteristics, health belief, and exercise compliance. Data analysis included one-way ANOVA, independent t-test, Pearson's correlation, and stepwise multiple regression using the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. RESULTS: The mean score for exercise compliance was 3.85 (range 1~5), and for perceived health state 3.17 (range 1~5). The mean score for each of the sub-factors of health belief was 3.89 for benefit, 1.94 for barrier, 3.34 for severity, 2.43 for sensitivity, and 3.65 for exercise self-efficacy (range 1~5). There was a significant correlation between exercise compliance and exercise benefit, and 28% of variance in exercise compliance was explained by exercise benefit in health belief, family history of illnesses, and perceived sensitivity in health belief. CONCLUSION: To promote exercise compliance among elderly adults at senior centers, exercise programs emphasizing exercise benefit should be developed.
Adult* ; Aged* ; Compliance* ; Humans ; Self Efficacy ; Senior Centers* ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of laughter therapy on the quality and quantity of sleep in elders with sleep disorders. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design with 59 participants and included elders with sleep disorders, The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores of five or more points were: 29 in the experiment group and 30 in the control group. The experimental group participated in laughter therapy sixteen times, twice a week for 50 min per session for 8 weeks. Results: The results showed that laughter therapy was effective according to the PSQI (F=86.13, p<.001), total sleep time (F=9.34, p<.001), sleep efficiency (F=45.34, p<.001), sleep onset latency in the experimental group x2=13.77, p=.001, and in the control group x2=11.95, p=.003), number of awakenings (F=31.21, p<.001), light sleep (F=5.09, p=.008), deep sleep (F=15.13, p<.001), and serum melatonin levels (Z=-3.90, p<.001). but rapid eye movement sleep time did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusion The results of the study indicate that laughter therapy may be an effective nursing intervention to improve quantity and quality of sleep in community-dwelling elderly.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pelvic floor muscle exercise using electric stimulation and biofeedback on maximum pressure of vaginal contraction, vaginal contraction duration and sexual function in women who have had vaginal rejuvenation. METHODS: The research design was a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design study. Participants in this study were women who had vaginal rejuvenation at C obstetrics and gynecology hospital. The 15 participants in the experimental group were given pelvic floor muscle exercise using electric stimulation and biofeedback and the 15 participants in the control group received self pelvic floor muscle exercise. RESULTS: For maximum pressure of vaginal contraction, the experimental group showed a statistically significant increase compared to than the control group (t=5.96, p<.001). For vaginal contraction duration, the experimental group also showed a statistically significant increase compared to the control group (t=3.23, p=.003). For women's sexual function, the experimental group showed a significant increase when compared to the control group in total sexual function scores (t=3.41, p=.002). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that pelvic floor muscle exercise with electric stimulation and biofeedback after vaginal rejuvenation is effective in strengthening vaginal contraction pressure, vaginal contraction and that it also positively functions to increase women's sexual function.
Adult ; Biofeedback, Psychology ; *Electric Stimulation ; *Exercise ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Contraction/physiology ; Pelvic Floor/*physiology ; Rejuvenation/*physiology ; Sexual Behavior/psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vagina/*physiology/surgery

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors that influence the wellness of bus drivers by examining the relationships between job stress, physical activity, subjective happiness, and wellness. Methods: Self-report questionnaires were distributed during October 2017. Results: Based on a multiple regression analysis, the significant factors found to affect the wellness of bus drivers were physical activity (β=.48,p<.001), subjective happiness (β=.25, p=.001), and job stress (β=-.17, p=.025). The total explanatory power of the study variables for wellness was 45.7% (F=33.04, p<.001). Conclusion These findings highlight a need to develop workplace wellness programs to reduce job stress and improve physical activity and subjective happiness among bus drivers.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting cardiovascular disease in middle-aged male workers. Methods: The participants were 137 male office workers over 40 years old and under 60 years old working in small- and medium-sized workplaces from three southern provinces of Korea. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires and health screening reports from the 2014 National Health Examination. The influencing factors included general characteristics of participants, anger expression style, and occupational stress. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, and regression analysis with SPSS 22.0. Results: The mean score of risk of cardiovascular disease was 6.73±4.69 and there were significant differences in exercise (t=2.13, p=.035) working time (t=-2.15, p=.034). Logistic regression analysis showed that, when adjusted for exercise and working time, the probability of becoming under a cardiovascular disease risk was 21% higher for those who anger-in (OR=1.21, 95% CI=1.02~1.44, p=.027) and 12% higher for those perceived occupational stress (OR= 1.12, 95% CI=1.01~1.24, p=.030). Conclusion The results suggest developing the strategies for middle-aged male workers to encourage exercise and to decrease occupational stress, as well as an appropriate anger expression style to improve holistic aspect of health considering their demographic characteristics.

Three cases of cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) were diagnosed in a returnee from a trip to Thailand and in 2 domestic farmers during July and September, 2003. The linear and serpiginous skin lesions on the lower extremities were presented in all 3 cases. Routine laboratory findings were normal. In the imported case, a 650 x 30 micrometer sized filariform nematode larva, presumably a species of hookworm, was detected in the lesion. All cases were treated with 400 mg albendazole once daily for 3-5 days, and their skin lesions gradually improved. In the present study, a causative agent of CLM was isolated for the first time in the Republic of Korea. Moreover, we speculate that CLM is prevalent in farmers who are in frequent contact with soil in the Republic of Korea.
Middle Aged ; Male ; Larva Migrans/*diagnosis/drug therapy/*pathology ; Humans ; Female ; Anthelmintics/therapeutic use ; Albendazole/therapeutic use ; Aged ; Adult

BACKGROUND: Given the nature and chronicity of diabetes mellitus (DM), the role of self care and adequate patient education, in addition to the support of medical professional, is essential in its management. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of positive messages and negative messages in DM education and to identify the superior method of motivation for self care behaviors. METHODS: A total of 99 DM patients (50 positive message group: 49 negative message group) at Gyeongsang National University Hospital participated in the study. The collected data were analyzed by Chi square and t-test. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the attitude of messages and in the attitude of self care behaviors between the positive and negative message group, though the negative message group had a significantly higher intention of self care behaviors than did the positive message group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the negative messages are more effective than positive messages for increasing the intention of self care behaviors in patients with DM.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Intention ; Motivation ; Patient Education as Topic ; Self Care

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of mothers' attitudes on preparing baby foods for their children's food habits and development. The subjects were allocated to 419 preschool children, aged 3 - 5 years. This study surveyed by questionnaire, which was answered by the children's mothers. Subjects were classified by two groups, active and passive, based on their mothers' weaning attitudes. In the active group, mothers tried to make a variety of foods for preparing the baby foods, whereas mothers in the passive group didn't try to make it too much. Family income was higher in the active group and the subjects' mothers had more jobs than those in the passive group, whereas their parent's education levels showed no differences. According to Rohrer index, 2.6% of subjects were obese in the active group, whereas 7.7% in the passive group. These data were shown significantly different between the groups. There were no differences in mother's food habits and breast-feeding versus formula feeding between the two groups. However, children's food habits were shown statistically different between the two groups. Higher regularity of meals, higher frequencies of snacks at home, higher frequencies of fruit, corn, sweet potato as a snacks and less instant foods were revealed in the active group more than in the passive group. The major problem of children's food habits was an unbalanced diet (52.7%) and the major reasons for unbalanced diet were the taste (58.7%) and the texture (23.2%). The active group used more fruits and vegetables than the passive group. Also there were significant differences to solve problems of children's unbalanced diets. In the positive group, 14.4% of mothers tried to develop new cooking methods for solving the problem of an unbalanced diet, but 8.2% did in the passive group. Furthermore, 2.3% of mothers in the positive group removed unpleasant items of the food, whereas 6.9% did in the passive. The average nutritional knowledge scores on a 10 scale were 7.2 and 6.9 in active and passive groups, respectively, and they were statistically different. Mothers among the active group explained the knowledge for food and nutrition to their children more than those in the passive group. These results suggest that mothers' attitudes for baby food are an important factor for forming their children's food habits. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a nutritional education program, materials and new recipes for a variety of baby foods to mothers.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cooking ; Diet ; Education ; Food Habits* ; Fruit ; Humans ; Ipomoea batatas ; Meals ; Mothers ; Snacks ; Vegetables ; Weaning* ; Zea mays

The influence of food habits on nutrient intake and anthropometric measurements of elementary school students was studied from November 2005 to July 2006. 160 elementary school students in the Gyeongnam area were individually interviewed to obtain 24-hour dietary recalls of two seasons (winter and summer). During each period, three interviews were done for 3 nonconsecutive days including two weekdays and one weekend day. The food habits were estimated by questionnaire. The food habit score was 21.5 +/- 2.7 out of a maximum of 30. The nutrient intake of children was low in calcium and vitamin A. Except for that, most other nutrients were overconsumed. The nutrient intakes consumed in winter were significantly higher than those of summer. Comparing the anthropometric measurements between the summer and the winter periods, height was significantly higher in the summer than in the winter. However, body fat ratio was significantly higher in the winter than in the summer. There was a significant positive correlation between the scores of food habits and the vitamins and minerals intakes of the summer period. However, the relationship was much weaker between the food habits and those consumed in winter. In addition, the scores of food habits were significantly negatively correlated with most of the anthropometric measurements of both periods. In conclusion, the students' food habits may reflect the intakes of vitamins and minerals of only the previous few months, however they reflect the BMI of children for a period of more than 6 months.
Adipose Tissue ; Body Mass Index* ; Calcium ; Child ; Food Habits* ; Humans ; Minerals ; Seasons ; Vitamin A ; Vitamins

This study was carried out to evaluate meal management behavior of housewives and to improve their behavior by determining what problems exist. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire in Jinju from October to November in 1999. It was shown that 29.1% of housewives didn't plan food budget, whereas only 5.6% of them did. The reasons for not planning food budget were mostly due to not forming a habit(38.8%), irregularity of prices(19.9%) or irregularity of income(13.8%). The characters of planning food budget and the reasons for not planning were not affected by age, education, monthly income, family size or monthly flood cost. Only 17.8% of meal managers recorded their housekeeping in detail and 47.4% of them wrote only the important things. Recording housekeeping records was affected by age and education. It was found that most meal managers(90.8%) didn't set menu planning and they didn't fuel the need for menu planning. The frequency of food shopping was every two days(36.2%), twice a week(20.9%) or randomly(27.4%), and the places for food shopping were supermarket(49.0%) and traditional market(41.3%). Both were affected by education or age. The quality of food was the main reason(54.6%) far the selection of food shopping place. Important consideration for selection of food and meals was preference of family(47.4%) and this character was affected by education. It was shown that the score of nutrition knowledge was 7.36, and it was affected by education. The results of this study suggest that the government, educators and scientists in nutrition make efforts to develop various levels of practical education programs for meal management and nutrition depending on age, education and community using mass media.
Budgets ; Education ; Family Characteristics ; Gyeongsangnam-do* ; Housekeeping ; Mass Media ; Meals* ; Menu Planning ; Surveys and Questionnaires