OBJECTIVES: This study is conducted to estimate the cost paid by the public suffering from disease possibly caused by chemical and to examine the effect on public health. METHODS: Cost-benefit analysis is an important factor in analysis and decision-making and is an important policy decision tool in many countries. Cost-of-illness (COI), a kind of scale-based analysis method, estimates the potential value lost as a result of illness as a monetary unit and calculates the cost in terms of direct, indirect and psychological costs. This study estimates direct medical costs, transportation fees for hospitalization and outpatient treatment, and nursing fees through a number of patients suffering from disease caused by chemicals in order to analyze COI, taking into account the cost of productivity loss as an indirect cost. RESULTS: The total yearly cost of the diseases studied in 2012 is calculated as 77 million Korean won (KRW) per person. The direct and indirect costs being 52 million KRW and 23 million KRW, respectively. Within the total cost of illness, mental and behavioral disability costs amounted to 16 million KRW, relevant blood immunological parameters costs were 7.4 million KRW, and disease of the nervous system costs were 6.7 million KRW. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports on a survey conducted by experts regarding diseases possibly caused by chemicals and estimates the cost for the general public. The results can be used to formulate a basic report for a social-economic evaluation of the permitted use of chemicals and limits of usage.
Cost of Illness ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Efficiency ; Fees and Charges ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Nervous System ; Nursing ; Outpatients ; Public Health ; Transportation

OBJECTIVES: To protect public health from risk, the Minister of Environment in Korea legislated an act concerning the registration and evaluation of chemical substances. In this study, we estimated the value of a statistical life (VSL) of carcinogenic chemicals to evaluate the socioeconomic analysis in Korea. METHODS: The estimation of the health benefit can be calculated through an individual's VSL and willingness to pay (WTP). To estimate the VSL and WTP, we used a contingent valuation method through a web-based survey. RESULTS: The survey is conducted with 1434 people living in Seoul and six large cities. An analysis of the survey is essential to review the distribution of the characteristics of the target population. The statistically significant variables affecting the WTP are location, age, household income, quality of life. Through the review of data, we secured statistical validity. The WTP was estimated as 41205 Korean won (KRW)/person, and the estimated VSL appeared as 796 million KRW/person. CONCLUSIONS: There is a case in which the amount of statistical life value is estimated in connection with domestic environmental policy, fine dust, etc. However, there are no cases of evaluation for chemical. The utilization of this result is possible for conducting other study with chemicals.
Dust ; Environmental Policy ; Family Characteristics ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Insurance Benefits ; Korea* ; Public Health ; Quality of Life ; Seoul

PURPOSE: To explore the person-centered care (PCC) experienced by critical patients.METHOD: This qualitative study deductively examined the attributes of the PCC model proposed by Jakimowicz and Perry. The participants were 16 patients who were recently discharged from intensive care units at a university hospital. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and were analyzed using the deductive method of content analysis.RESULTS: A total of 4 categories, 16 subcategories, and 33 codes were generated from 171 meaningful statements. The final 4 categories were “compassionate presence,” “professional interaction,” “outstanding competency,” and “patient identity.” These were consistent with the main attributes of Jakimowicz and Perry's model. However, most of the codes belonged to the “compassionate presence” and “patient identity” categories. Among the attributes of the model, “continuity of nursing,” “therapeutic relationship,” “expert knowledge,” “clinical knowledge,” “evidence-based intervention,” and “patient's rights” were not derived as codes.CONCLUSION: These findings deepen the understanding of the PCC model from the patient's point of view. The main attributes of PCC identified in the current study can be applied to the development of practical guidelines for intensive care nursing. In addition, we recommend the development of a PCC measurement tool for critical care patients.
Critical Care Nursing ; Critical Care ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Methods ; Nursing ; Qualitative Research

An 84-year-old female visited with an intertrochanteric femoral fracture. The patient had undergone an open reduction and internal fixation with a compressive plate and elastic nail in an ipsilateral atypical diaphyseal femoral fracture in the past. Compressive plate and elastic nail remained, and anterolateral bowing was presented. To treat the periprosthetic trochanteric fracture, a proximal femoral nail was used without removing the previously inserted compressive plate. Under the “rendezvous” technique, using a combination of fixating intramedullary nail and compressive plate simultaneously, the distal screw was fixed, and a femoral head lag screw was inserted after reducing the fracture. Complete union of the fracture was achieved 16 months after the operation, and a decrease in mobility function was not found postoperatively. The authors report this case for the “rendezvous” technique as a treatment option for elderly patients with periprosthetic trochanteric fractures, who had previously undergone surgical treatment for ipsilateral atypical diaphyseal femoral fractures with anterolateral bowing.

Although vascular injuries associated with femoral intertrochanteric fractures have been reported infrequently, bleeding due to vascular injury can lead to severe complications that can be potentially life and limb-threatening. The authors report a case of an injury of the ascending branch of the lateral femoral convolutional artery in a patient who underwent surgical treatment for a femoral intertrochanteric fracture. Vascular injury occurred due to the sharp margin of displaced lesser trochanter five weeks after surgery. Percutaneous transcatheter embolization was done and improved without additional complications. Therefore, the surgeons need to be aware of possible associated vascular injuries caused by displaced lesser trochanter fragments in femoral intertrochanteric fractures.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a novel mouth contactless breathing exercise solution based on virtual reality (VR), and to test its feasibility. Methods: We developed the Virtual Reality-based Breathing Exercise System (VR-BRES), a self-regulating biofeedback breathing exercise with gaming characteristics and a soft stretch sensor. The feasibility and efficacy of the VR-BRES prototype were investigated through a randomized crossover trial. Fifty healthy adults participated in the trial, and their respiratory parameters and user evaluation of the VR-BRES were compared with conventional deep breathing (CDB) exercises. Results: The respiratory parameters, forced vital capacity (Z = 4.82, 4.95, p < .001), forced expiratory volume in one second (t = 6.02, 6.26, p < .001), and peak expiratory flow (t = 5.35, 5.68, p < .001) were significantly higher during breathing exercises using the VR-BRES. User evaluation was also significantly higher for the VR-BRES in terms of efficiency (Z = 3.86, p < .001), entertainingness (Z = 5.00, p < .001), and intention to use (Z = 3.22, p = .001) compared to CDB. However, there was no difference in convenience between the two methods (Z = −0.90, p = .369). Conclusion The VR-BRES has the potential to be an efficient breathing exercise solution. We recommend a clinical study that evaluates the effects of the VR-BRES for a certain period of time for people who need breathing exercises.

Although vascular injuries associated with femoral intertrochanteric fractures have been reported infrequently, bleeding due to vascular injury can lead to severe complications that can be potentially life and limb-threatening. The authors report a case of an injury of the ascending branch of the lateral femoral convolutional artery in a patient who underwent surgical treatment for a femoral intertrochanteric fracture. Vascular injury occurred due to the sharp margin of displaced lesser trochanter five weeks after surgery. Percutaneous transcatheter embolization was done and improved without additional complications. Therefore, the surgeons need to be aware of possible associated vascular injuries caused by displaced lesser trochanter fragments in femoral intertrochanteric fractures.

A short femoral stem (type 1 cementless stem) is being increasingly used to perform total hip arthroplasty; however, various types of intra- or postoperative periprosthetic fractures have been reported in recent times. A 66-year-old woman with a history of bilateral total hip arthroplasties using a type 1B femoral stem was admitted 2 months post-operation for a Vancouver type C periprosthetic fracture. She underwent open reduction and internal fixation; however, we observed recurrent non-union and plate breakage at the same site. In this case report, we discuss the factors associated with treatment failure in patients with a Vancouver type C periprosthetic fracture following type 1 femoral stem im-plantation.

Purpose: This study aimed to assign weights for subscales and items of the Post-Intensive Care Syndrome questionnaire and suggest optimal cut-off values for screening unplanned hospital readmissions of critical care survivors. Methods: Seventeen experts participated in an analytic hierarchy process for weight assignment. Participants for cut-off analysis were 240 survivors who had been admitted to intensive care units for more than 48 hours in three cities in Korea. We assessed participants using the 18-item Post-Intensive Care Syndrome questionnaire, generated receiver operating characteristic curves, and analysed cut-off values for unplanned readmission based on sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratios. Results: Cognitive, physical, and mental subscale weights were 1.13, 0.95, and 0.92, respectively.Incidence of unplanned readmission was 25.4%. Optimal cut-off values were 23.00 for raw scores and 23.73 for weighted scores (total score 54.00), with an area of under the curve (AUC) of .933 and .929, respectively. There was no significant difference in accuracy for original and weighted scores. Conclusion The optimal cut-off value accuracy is excellent for screening of unplanned readmissions. We recommend that nurses use the Post-Intensive Care Syndrome Questionnaire to screen for readmission risk or evaluating relevant interventions for critical care survivors.

We report on the case of a patient with chronic instability of the ball-and-socket ankle joint. The patient, a 21-year-old male, was diagnosed 10 years previously with chronic instability of the ball-and-socket ankle joint. He underwent Broström procedure and augmentation using a periosteal turn down from the fibula for this chronic instability despite having received conservative treatment since the diagnosis. After the procedure, the clinical symptoms of ankle instability were improved and the patient is being periodically followedup. We report on this case of using a Broström procedure as a treatment option for patients with instability of the ball-and-socket ankle joint with normal range of foot and normal ankle joint alignment without damage in the joint and cartilage.