Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in Korea. Because of their sequelae, strokes are categorized as a sudden-onset. constant course chronic illness which needs continuous efforts for rehabilitation. Unfortunately. there are few community based rehabilitation program for post-stroke patients who stay at home. The authors developed a community based selp-help management program for post-stroke patients to enhance their rehabilitation process. The program consists of five sessions and each session contains health education. ROM exercise, ADL training, and stress management like foot reflexology. A professor and two graduate students of nursing college coordinated the program. To test the effects of the program we conducted a 5 week program to the 10 conveniently selected post-stroke patients who were living in Kang-buk district of Seoul. The Questionnaires about ADLs. IADLs, depression and life satisfaction were asked to the all subjects before and after progarm. The hand grisp power and muscle strength of four limbs were measured at the end of each sessions. The analysis of data revealed that the program was effective to increase the ADLs, IADLs, and muscle strength and to decrease the depression levels of subjects. However, there was no significant difference between pre and post hand grisp power and life satisfaction. Because the program was effective to improve the physical and psycholocial function of subjects, we suggest continual development and implementation of community based self-help management programs.
Activities of Daily Living ; Cause of Death ; Chronic Disease ; Depression* ; Extremities ; Foot ; Hand ; Health Education ; Humans ; Korea ; Massage ; Muscle Strength* ; Nursing ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rehabilitation ; Seoul ; Stroke

PURPOSE: This study was done to develop standards for educational equipment in fundamental nursing practice courses in BSN programs. METHOD: The participants in this study were 30 professors who taught fundamental nursing in colleges or departments of nursing. The data were gathered between December 2002 and May 2003 using a questionnaire on the present state of fundamental nursing practice and the educational equipment list for fundamental nursing practice. RESULT: There was variety in the content of the courses of fundamental nursing practice in BSN programs, and the environment for fundamental nursing practice was in diverse setting. A standard for educational equipment was developed consisting of 93 pieces of equipment for fundamental nursing practice. CONCLUSION: The standard for educational equipment for fundamental nursing practice in BSN programs provides the basics for fundamental nursing practice. Of these 72 were selected and the authors suggests establishing an educational committee of fundamental nursing practice and holding a workshop on educational equipment for fundamental nursing practice in BSN programs every 5 years.
Education ; Nursing* ; Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to assess the oral health knowledge of nursing staff in long-term care institutions and to identify predictors of oral health knowledge. METHOD: For this descriptive correlation study, a self-administered and structured questionnaire was used. Respondents were 111 nursing staff in two long-term care facilities and two long-term care hospitals located in G metropolitan area and C province in the Southern part of Korea. Descriptive statistics, t-test or ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Participants in this study did not have many opportunities to learn about oral health care for elders in long-term care institutions. The percentage of correct answer for oral health knowledge questionnaire was 64.5%. Predictors of oral health knowledge among nursing staffs were education on oral health in long-term care institutions, type of institution, and length of time working with elders. These three variables accounted for 24.2% of variance in oral health knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing staffs should make an effort to improve their knowledge of oral health. Moreover, oral health educational program for nursing staffs working with elders in long-term care institution is need to be developed and the effectiveness of this education needs to be evaluated.
Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Humans ; Korea ; Long-Term Care ; Nursing Staff ; Oral Health ; Statistics as Topic

A phenomenological study was conducted to investigate the experiences of mothers pregnant via in vitro fertilization (IVF). Sample of nine mothers participated. Ten theme clusters emerged when the formulated meanings were organized into categories. During the infertility period, the participants were subject to self- depreciation, envy, anxiety, and depression. It changed their priorities in life from a job-oriented life to one where having a baby was the most important thing. After trying numerous alternative therapies, IVF became their last hope in having a baby. Since the success rate for IVF is low (only 20-30%), the participants for the treatment were overwhelmed with uncertainty, and it led to further anxiety, depression and despair. Success of pregnancy gave them extreme satisfaction, but they became very cautious in their day-to-day life because of their fear of abortion and early delivery. Some were even worried about the side effect of IVF during the pregnancy. Finally, the delivery of the baby gave them relief from the obligation of having a baby. Women did not have any difficulties in rearing a "test tube baby" except in the case of twins. Most women had no ethical difficulty in having a baby by IVF. However they did not wish this information to be revealed to other people. They again turned to IVF to have a son(s) when the resultory child(s) was a daughter(s). This is because of the strong preference for sons in Korean society.
Anxiety ; Complementary Therapies ; Depreciation ; Depression ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Hope ; Humans ; Infertility ; Mothers* ; Pregnancy ; Twins ; Uncertainty

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of uncertainty in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in South Korea. METHODS: Data were obtained from in-depth interviews with ten cancer patients conducted from Mar. 21 to Nov. 11, 2017. The data were collected until saturation and analyzed via Colazzi's phenomenological method. RESULTS: In this study, 6 categories were extracted: Four categories contributed to uncertainty including ‘Confusion about cancer and course of treatment’, ‘Inner conflicts’, ‘Being overwhelmed by treatment’, and ‘Unknown future’. Two categories facilitated coping with uncertainty including ‘Seeking knowledge’ and ‘Need for spiritual peace’. CONCLUSION: Uncertainty experiences for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in different societies is largely similar. However, some experiences seemed unique to Korean patients. Also, there is a great deal of uncertainty about the treatment outcomes and loss of treatment opportunities in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The results of this study will help oncology professionals develop patient-centered psychological interventions by improving understanding of the uncertainty of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Korea ; Methods ; Qualitative Research ; Uncertainty*

No abstract available.
Hand

BACKGROUND: Malignant skin cancers in Korea have been increasing as in other countries, but the previous epidemiological studies have been only attempted by a single hospital unit in a limited period of time. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate and compare the frequencies, age, sex distribution, and anatomical location of the frequent skin cancers collected from several hospitals over a 10 year period between 1984-5 and 1994-5. METHODS: 258 cases of skin cancer from 4 different places in Seoul were collected for the study. Histopathological records from pathology departments and medical records were reviewed to obtain information about the frequencies. RESULTS: Overall there were 141 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)1 basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and malignant melanoma (MM) in the mid-eighties and 117 in the mid-nineties. SCC was the most common skin cancer in both periods but the frequencies and the SCC/BCC ratio dropped at the later period. The ratio of males to females was getting smaller at 1.4:1 in the mid-eighties and 1.1:1 in the mid-nineties. BCC was concentrated on the face and SCC was rather evenly distributed over the body surface. The predilection site of malignant melanoma (MM) was quite different between the two periods. The lower extremities was the main site in the mid-nineties and the head and neck in the mid-eighties. CONCLUSION: Although there was no statistical significance, the BCC/SCC ratio was increased and the male/female ratio decreased at the later period.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epithelial Cells* ; Female ; Head ; Hospital Units ; Humans ; Korea* ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Medical Records ; Melanoma* ; Neck ; Pathology ; Seoul ; Sex Distribution ; Skin Neoplasms

OBJECTIVES: Numerous studies have demonstrated that fasting serum glucose (FSG) levels and certain single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are related to an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC); however, their combined effects are still unclear. METHODS: Of a total of 144,527 men and women free of cancer at baseline, 317 developed CRC during 5.3 years of follow-up. A case-cohort study (n=1,691) was used, consisting of participants with a DNA sample available. Three well-known SNPs (rs3802842, rs6983267, rs10795668) were genotyped. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of CRC, colon and rectal cancer were calculated, with the Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: The crude incidence rates per 100,000 person-years were 41.1 overall, 48.4 for men, and 29.3 for women. Among participants with dysglycemia, SNPs rs3802842 and rs6983267 were both associated with an increased risk of CRC (HR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.9 to 5.5 and HR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.1, respectively) and rectal cancer (HR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.8 to 6.6 and HR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.6 to 7.1, respectively). The interaction effect of dysglycemia and SNPs was positive, that is, resulted in an elevated risk of CRC, but was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that both high FSG and certain SNPs are major risk factors for CRC and rectal cancer but that they did not interact synergistically. The difference in effect size of the SNPs according to CRC subtype (i.e., colon or rectal cancer) and presence of dysglycemia merits further research.
Blood Glucose ; Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; DNA ; Fasting* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucose* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: To investigate the patterns of locoregional recurrence of pathologic T3N0 (pT3N0) lower rectal cancer omitting postoperative radiotherapy (RT) and explore the potential of modification of a RT field. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From Jan 2003 to Nov 2011, 35 patients omitting preoperative or postoperative RT for pT3N0 lower rectal cancer were included. We defined the lower rectal cancer as the tumor with the inferior margin located below the virtual line-a convergent level between rectal wall and levator ani muscle. All patients had radiologic examinations for recurrence evaluation during the follow-up duration. RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 66.4 months (range, 1.4 to 126.1 months). Eight (22.9%) of the 35 patients had recurrence. Three (8.6%) was local recurrence (LR) only, 3 (8.6%) was distant metastasis (DM) only, and 2 (5.7%) was LR with DM. All LR were located at primary tumor sites. The overall survival rate, LR-free survival rate, and DM-free survival rate at 5 years was 79.8%, 83%, and 87%, respectively. All LR developed from tumors over 5 cm. However, there was no statistical significance (p = 0.065). There was no other risk factor for LR. CONCLUSION: Even though the patients included in this study had pathologically favorable pT3N0 rectal cancer, LR developed in 14.3% of patients. Most of the LR was located at primary tumor sites prior to surgery. Based on these findings, it might seem reasonable to consider postoperative RT with a smaller radiation field to the primary tumor site rather than the conventional whole pelvic irradiation.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Muscles ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: This study was a randomized single-blind trial of whole versus split-dose PEG solutions for colonoscopy preparation to compare the patient compliance, quality of bowel cleansing, and endoscopist's satisfaction. METHODS: The participants were recruited from outpatients who planned to receive colonoscopy of C hospital in Busan. Sixty participants were randomly assigned to receive either a spit-dose group(n=30) consuming 2 liter of PEG solution twice, or a whole-dose group(n=30), consuming 4 liter of PEG solution once. These participants completed the questionnaire to assess their compliance before colonoscopy. The quality of bowel cleansing was assessed using the Ottawa Scale with the endoscopist who was blinded to the type of preparation, and their satisfaction by using VAS. RESULTS: The participants who did not completely consume 4 liter of PEG solution were less in split-dose than in whole-dose group (0% vs 13.3%). The split-dose group complained less about abdominal pain(t=2.644, p=0.009) and abdominal bloating(t=2.802, p=0.013) with a statistical significance. For the quality of bowel preparation, there were no significant differences in the bowel cleansing scores and the endoscopist's satisfaction between two groups. CONCLUSION: Colonic preparation with split-dose of PEG solution could be a more useful method for better patient compliance, with no significant impact on bowel cleansing quality.
Busan ; Colon ; Colonoscopy* ; Compliance ; Enema ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Patient Compliance* ; Surveys and Questionnaires