The National Evidence-based Collaborating Agency (NECA) holds the NECA Round-table Conference that not only disseminates objective and systematic information on topics of social concern in public health care but also organizes discussions on core issues under dispute in the literature through panels composed of multidisciplinary experts. Accordingly, the Round-table Conference was composed of multidisciplinary experts including medical specialists in the areas of psychiatry and preventive medicine, psychiatric and mental health nursing, psychologists, social welfare experts, consultation experts, religious leaders, and government officials from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and Ministry of Health and Welfare. The Round-table Conference, tasked with analysis of the actual status and causes of, and search for solutions for suicide in adolescents, has reached consensus on the current status, trend, risk factors and prevention factors, problems and issues in prevention and coping strategies, effective prevention and coping strategies and areas of research needed for the future. The Round-table Conference commented on the actual status and gravity of suicides in adolescents, and came to the agreement that mental health issues including stress from interpersonal relationships and depression are the key risk factors of suicide. It was further agreed that problems in the measures being implemented for each of the areas include lack of manpower and funding, and inadequate organic association and cooperation among relevant institutions. They also agreed that development of a government-initiated suicide prevention program for adolescents, association among relevant experts, and development, and management of practical guidelines that are of broad and practical use are important. Furthermore, the panels were in agreement that the mass media must comply with the recommended level of coverage in reporting of suicide as adolescents are greatly influenced by provocative mass media reports due to their strong impulsive dispositions.
Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide) ; Adolescent ; Cause of Death ; Consensus ; Depression ; Dissent and Disputes ; Financial Management ; Gravitation ; Humans ; Mass Media ; Mental Health ; Occupational Groups ; Porphyrins ; Preventive Medicine ; Public Health ; Risk Factors ; Social Welfare ; Specialization ; Suicide

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the effect of music therapy as intervention on peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety of gynecologic cancer patients who were undergoing paclitaxel chemotherapy. METHODS: Hospitalized 62 patients were assigned to an experimental group (n=30) and a control group (n=33) in this quasi-experimental study. The experimental group participated in music therapy that includes listening, singing and song writing during 1 hour. The peripheral neuropathic pain, anxiety and depression were examined as pre-intervention evaluation by using pain scale, anxiety scale (20 questions) and depression scale (20 questions) in both groups. There were no further treatments for the control group while the experimental group involved in music therapy. The peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety were evaluated in both groups as post-intervention evaluation. RESULTS: Outcomes were verified through hypothesis testing. The level of peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety in the experimental group was decreased, compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: According to the study, music therapy is a beneficial intervention that reduces peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety in gynecologic cancer patients. These findings are encouraging and suggest that music therapy can be applied as an effective intervention for minimizing chemotherapy related symptoms.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Humans ; Music ; Music Therapy ; Neuralgia ; Paclitaxel ; Singing ; Writing

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the 'Mental Fitness'Scale, which was designed to measure the characteristics of being mentally fit or positive mental health. METHODS: Interviews using open-ended questions were conducted on 105 healthy adults between 20 and 65 years of age to obtain the 25 candidate items of the 'Mental Fitness' Scale. To evaluate the validity of the new scale, these items and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale(ESS) were administered to 212 healthy adults. To assess test-retest reliability, the preliminary 'Mental Fitness' Scale items were administered two weeks later to 47 healthy subjects selected by random sampling. A comparison was made between the 212 healthy subjects and 42 psychiatric patients with depressive or anxiety disorders. RESULTS: Factor analysis yielded four subscales (mental energy, empathic communication, flexibility, and self-assurance). Five items were excluded due to their low factor loadings. The test-retest reliability coefficients were significantly high, ranging between 0.57-0.76. Internal consistency was computed, and Cronbach's alpha for four subscales ranged between 0.66-0.88, and was 0.90 for the total score. Concurrent validity was assessed by correlating the four subscales and the total score with total scores on the BDI, PANAS, and ESS. The correlations were all at significant levels. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the 'Mental Fitness' Scale is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing positive mental health.
Adult ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Pliability

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at exploring the current status of graduate programs for an advanced practice nurse(APN) to recommend future directions of APN education. METHODS: A total of 142 students enrolled in seven APN specialty programs, 67 professors who were involved in APN education, and nine nurse administrators participated in the study. Data was collected by questionnaires and focus group interviews. RESULTS: The current definition of APN was found not to be specific enough to represent expected roles of APN in regards to knowledge, attitudes, roles, and skills. Standard curricula employed regardless of the area of APN specialty, lack of qualified clinical practice settings, as well as prepared instructors were found to be problematic. CONCLUSION: The following needs to be addressed: 1. redefining of APN roles, 2. tailoring specialty areas of APN, 3. consolidating educational programs, and 4. ensuring APN role models and faculty. Suggesting a CNS role in Korean APN, areas of APN should be rearranged toclarify their roles and educational programs need to be further developed to meet the expectations and quality of APNs. It is necessary to ensure APN's employment in the health care system by laws and policies to perform advanced nursing roles.
Adult ; Curriculum ; Education, Nursing, Continuing ; Education, Nursing, Graduate ; Educational Measurement ; Focus Groups ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Middle Aged ; Nurse Clinicians/*education ; Nurse Practitioners/*education ; Nursing Evaluation Research ; Questionnaires ; Societies, Nursing ; Specialties, Nursing/*education

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between self reported climacteric symptoms, and depression, and the quality of life in middle aged women. METHOD: The subjects of this study were 149 women from 40 to 64 years of age. Climacteric symptoms were measured with Neugarton's tool(1965) and depression with Zung's tool. Quality of life was related to self reported climacteric symptoms were education level(F=3.011, p=.035), income measured by Rho's tool(1988). RESULT: The general characteristic variables significantly level(F=2.670, p=.057), income satisfaction (F=3.413, p=.011), perceived subjective health condition(F=28.623, p=.000). The general characteristic variables significantly related to depression were age(t=-2.476, p=.014), education level(F=4.492, p.013), income satisfaction (F=2.845, p.026), perceived subjective health condition(F=8.468, p=.000). The general characteristics variables significantly related to quality of life were income level(F=5.010, p=.000), income satisfaction(F=6.314, p=.000), perceived subjective health condition(F=3.516, p<=.032), menstruation cycles(t=-2.66, p=.023). The relationship between self reported climacteric symptoms and depression had a statistically a positive correlation(r=.357, p=.000). The relationship between depression and quality of life had a statistically with a negative correlation(r=-.397, p=.000). CONCLUSION: These results may contribute to a better understanding of depression and quality of life in middle aged women. Therefore, health programs for prompting climacteric women's health should be a planned based on results of the study.
Climacteric* ; Depression* ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life* ; Self Report ; Women's Health

PURPOSE: To analyze the learning objectives and test items for Fundamentals in Nursing which were established between 1999 and 2000 and to develop these items toward a nationwide faculty workshop for national board examination for Korean nurses. RESULTS: 1. According to Bloom's taxonomy, learning objectives established in 1999 mainly consisted of two domains, comprehension (56.1%), and knowledge (27.7%). The learning objectives established in 2000, mainly consisted of comprehension (45.2%) and application (25.4%). 2. According to McGuire's taxonomy, domain of test items established in 1999 consisted of recall (66.7%), interpretation (28.0%) and problem solving (4.9%). Domain of test items established in 2000, consisted of recall (65.1%), interpretation (22.0%) and problem solving (12.9%). 1) Department of Nursing, Chung-Ang University 2) College of Nursing, Yonsei University 3) College of Nursing, Seoul National University 4) Department of Nursing, Kyung-Hee University 5) College of Nursing, Ewha University 6) College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea(corresponding author, Email: sky@catholic.ac.kr) 7) National Medical Center Nursing College 8) Red Cross Nursing College 9) Department of Nursing, Gachun Gil College 3. The proportion of learning objectives in the knowledge and comprehension domains established in 200, decreased from 27.7% to 13.5%, and from 56.1% to 45.2% respectively over that of 1999. But the domain of application increased from 5.3% to 25.4% over that of 1999. 4. With regard to McGuire's taxonomy, the proportion for the recall and interpretation domains established in 2000 decreased from 66.7% to 65.1%, and from 28.0% to 22.0% respectively. But the proportion for the problem solving domain increased from 4.9% to 12.9% over that of 1999. For type of test items, the proportion of A type established in 2000 decreased from 47.2% to 37.6%, and K type increased from 52.1% to 60.8% over that of 1999. CONCLUSION: The learning objectives and test items established in 2000 showed remarkable improvement compared to those established in 1999. For better learning objectives and test items in Fundamentals of Nursing, further research is recommended on essential content and standardization of job analysis for national board examination for nurses in Korea.
Classification ; Comprehension ; Education ; Electronic Mail ; Korea* ; Learning* ; Nursing* ; Problem Solving ; Red Cross ; Seoul

The purpose of this research was to uncover the expertise of ICU nursing in Korea, and to describe nurses' practice based on the degree of skill acquisition. A total of 18 ICU nurses participated in the study. The data was collected through individual in-depth interviews and it was managed using the NUDIST 4.0 software program. The data was analyzed using interpretive phenomenology suggested by Benner. Four properties of expertise of ICU nursing were identified. These are 1) concern and love toward patients; 2) knowledge; 3) skill, and 4) abilities in interpersonal relationships. And the characterisitcs of four levels of skill acquisition, that is advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert, were described with exemplars. The results of this study might help nurse researchers clarify and elaborate on the concept of expertise in ICU nursing, and enable them to understand how the process of skill acquisition occurs in the ICU setting. They might also help nurse managers establish educational goals for ICU nursing for student or novice nurses.
Humans ; Korea ; Love ; Nurse Administrators ; Nursing*

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: To investigate the prevalence and clinical implications of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in patients with chronic renal failure, a cross-sectional study of 131 hemodialysis patients and 33 kidney transplantation recipients was conducted. METHODS: HGV RNA was amplified by reverse-transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with primers from the 5'-untranslated region of the viral genome. RESULTS: The prevalence of HGV infection in patients with chronic renal failure was 25%(41/164). The following factors were taken into consideration: the mean age(43.15+/-11.97 years vs 46.46+/-13.08 years), the male to female ratio(2.15:1 vs 1.86:1), the mean of the dialysis duration(4.58+/-3.18 years vs 3.90+/-3.31 years), transfusion history (75.6% vs 62.6%), the mean of the ALT level during the prior 6 months(25.78+/-21.50 IU/L vs 23.00+/-59.49 IU/L), and the amount of transfusion(6.22+/-8.03 units vs 5.74+/-9.44 units). The anti-HCV(4.88% vs 8.94%) showed no difference between HGV RNA positive and negative group. The HBsAg positive ratio was 19.5% and 5.81% in HGV RNA positive group and negative group, respectively. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HGV infection in patients with chronic renal failure was 25%. There was a higher rate of HBsAg positivity in the HGV RNA positive group rather than in the negative group. HGV infection did not seem to be associated with clinically significant hepatitis.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dialysis ; Female ; GB virus C* ; Genome, Viral ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence* ; Renal Dialysis ; RNA

No abstract available.
Angioplasty* ; Budd-Chiari Syndrome* ; Heart Ventricles* ; Stents*

No abstract available.
Nausea* ; Ondansetron* ; Vomiting*