The purpose of this study was to find out the correlations between mother-adolescent communication and quality of life in the adolescents. The study subjects consisted of 171 adolescents who were going to middle school and high school. The data included general characteristics, health related characteristics, stress, mother-adolescent communication and quality of life. The data were analyzed by frequency, mean, percentage, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation using the SPSS statistical program. The result were as follows: 1. The mean score for the stress of adolescent was 2.48(maximum score: 5) and there were significant difference according to demographic variables that is sex, grade, father's being and health related variables that is health status, frequently ill, illness severity and illness of family. 2. The mean score for the mother-adolescent communication was 3.27(maximum score : 5) and there were significant difference according to demographic variables that is father's and mother's being. There were no significant difference according to any health related variables. 3. The mean score for the quality of life of adolescent was 3.97(maximum score : 7) and there were no significant difference according to demographic and health related variables. 4. There was a negative correlation between the stress and the quality of life. There was a positive correlation between the quality of life and the mother-adolescent communication. There was a no correlation between the mother-adolescent communication and the quality of life. Consequently, the implication for nursing of this study is that there is a need to develop relief strategy of stress for the female adolescents. And there is a need to develop a promoting program of quality of life for the adolescents considering the stress and the mother-adolescent communication.
Adolescent* ; Humans ; Nursing ; Quality of Life* ; Child Health

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the level and factors influencing depression among nursing students. METHODS: The data were collected from nursing students attending 3 universities who expressed a willingness to participate in the study through a questionnaire which surveyed them about depression, stress, social support, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and wellbeing in May, 2012. The collected data from 235 nursing students were analyzed using a SPSSWIN 19.0. RESULTS: The mean score of depression (using MDI) among nursing students was 16.7, which denotes a minor depressive mood. 49.1% of variance with regard to depression among nursing students was explained by stress, self-esteem, wellbeing and self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: There is a need to develop a depression prevention program for nursing students and to reduce stress and increase self-esteem, wellbeing and self-efficacy in order to establish an effective program.
Depression* ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Students, Nursing*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the history of exposure to obscene material, and examine sexual attitudes and intercourse experience in order to develop an effective program for university students. METHOD: The data were collected in May, 2012 from 385 students attending 3 universities in Korea. An independent t-test and ANOVA were used to determine the differences with regard to sexual attitudes and intercourse experience according to general characteristics and history of exposure to obscene material. RESULTS: Sexual attitudes significantly differed according to timing of first exposure to obscene material (p<.001). Intercourse experience was significantly different according to timing of first exposure to obscene material (p=.016) and type of exposure to obscene material (p=.032). There was a negative correlation between first exposure to obscene material and sexual attitudes (p<.001), and a positive correlation between first exposure to obscene material and intercourse experience (p=.017). CONCLUSION: Results of this study indicate that history of exposure to obscene material should be considered as an important variable in managing the sexual health of university students.
Humans ; Korea ; Reproductive Health ; Sexual Behavior

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify differences in blood pressure according to cuff size and measurement sites of the participants. METHOD: The participants consisted of 50 women and 50 men whose upper arm circumference was 26~30cm. They had no chronic illness and gave consent to participate. Blood pressure of the wrist was measured in the sitting position, the upper arm with a standard cuff, large and small cuffs were used for measurement in supine position and the thigh in prone position. The data were analyzed with paired t-test using SPSS 12.0 program. RESULT: The data for the upper arm showed a difference in systolic and diastolic blood pressure depending on the site of measurement. There was a significant difference between measurements with a standard cuff and measurements with large and small cuffs. The systolic blood pressure of the wrist and the thigh were significantly lower than that of the upper arm. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the selection of an appropriate cuff is an essential element in ensuring accuracy when measuring blood pressure and differences in systolic blood pressure for the upper arm, wrist and thigh indicate the need to record the measuring site when measuring blood pressure.
Arm ; Blood Pressure ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prone Position ; Supine Position ; Thigh ; Upper Extremity ; Wrist

The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between self-efficacy and self-care of hemodialysis patients. The subjects consisted of 140 hemodialysis patients who underwent hemodialysis at 2 university hospital. The data were collected by used the self-efficacy tool developed by Kim Ju Hyune(1995) and the self-care tool developed by literature review and indepth open openended questions to 10 patients. Also, the questionnaire in cluded phusiologic data which collected through review of the patients' charts. The statistical analysis was used the SPSS program for frequency, mean, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation. The results were as follows: 1. The mean score for general self-efficacy of hemodialysis patients was 3.103(1-4point) and there were significant differences according to perceived health. The mean score for specific self-efficacy of hemodialysis patients was 3.113 (1-4point) and there were significant differences according to perceived health, side effects and complications which related hemodialysis. 2. The mean score for self-care of hemodialysis patients was 3.822(1-5point) and there were significant differences according to marital status and economic level. 3. The relationship between general self-efficacy and self-care was a positive correlation(P=.000). The relationship between specific self-efficacy and self-care was a positive correlation(P=.000). In conclusion, this study revealed the level of self-efficacy and self-care, and the positive correlation between self-efficacy and self-care on hemodialysis patients. Therefore, intervention is needer to promote self-efficacy for self-care of hemodialysis patients. Considering the vulnerable self-care area same as checking blood pressure and weight, fluid restriction, social adjustment, exercise and rest, further studies should develop self-efficacy promoting programs for self-care of hemodialysis patients.
Blood Pressure ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Renal Dialysis* ; Self Care* ; Social Adjustment

Traditionally umbilical vein has been used for exchange transfusion in neonates. This method is relatively safe and effective but with a few complications. So via percutaneous femoral vein catheters we tried exchange transfusions in 30 patients with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia admitted to GNUH from September 1990 to August 1992. Femoral vein catheterization succeeded in 2~3 trials, In all cases high bilirubin level was lowered by half at the end of exchange transfusion. Transient microscopic hematuria by bladder puncture occurred in one neonate. Exchange transfusion via femoral vein catheter is a sage, easy and effective method.
Bilirubin ; Catheterization* ; Catheters* ; Femoral Vein* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal ; Infant, Newborn* ; Punctures ; Umbilical Veins* ; Urinary Bladder

The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of occupationally related carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) among workers employed in services and manufacturing industries analysing the sensitivity and specificity of clinical symptoms and signs. Three surveys were made for this study. The first survey was done for 1,447 workers employed by 25 companies. The jobs of the employees were repetitive works at VDT and assembly lines. Therefore, employees could be divided to two groups, doing repetitive works and non repetitive works. The second survey was made for 189 workers who were randomly selected from 517 workers complained some symptoms at their hands and wrists. We examined their symptoms and carried out neurological examinations for CTS (Tinel's sign, Phalen's sign, pin prick test, carpal compressive test, toniquet compression test). The third survey was made for nerve conduction study (NCS) for 57 workers who had shown positive signs for CTS. The main results of this study were as follows: 1. From the first survey, we have found that there were significant statistical differences in getting uncomfortable neuromuscular symptoms by sex, job type, total working hours during a week, duration of current work, and kinds of work. Odds ratio in male vs female, repetitive vs non repetitive, service vs manufacturing companies, total working hours during a week, and duration of current work were 1.867(95% CI=1.467-2.377), 1.680 (95% CI=1.121-2.279), 1.663(95% CI=1.213-2.279), 1.016(95% CI=1.006-1.027) and 1.283 (95% CI=1.097-1.501) respectively. 2. From the second survey, we have found that 46 peoples (25.0%) were positive for one or more than one signs in neurological examinations of NIOSH criteria. Positive findings from neurological examinations were high among workers of low level of education (p-value=0.008), manufacturing jobs (p-value=0.00), long hours a week (p-value=0.028), and long duration of current work (p-value=0.00). 3. From the third survey, we diagnosed 35 peoples (61.4%) had CTS by NCS. They had abnormally delayed latent period or velocity in median nerve conduction velocity.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Education ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Median Nerve ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S.) ; Neural Conduction ; Neurologic Examination ; Occupations ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Wrist

PURPOSE: Women's weight perception and obesity-related quality of life were analyzed according to BMI (Body Mass Index). METHODS: A survey was conducted using self-report questionnaires from 178 participants. The data analysis included descriptive statistics, frequency, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, Fisher's exact test and Kendall's tau using the SPSS version 14.0. RESULTS: There were significant differences in BMI according to age (F=8.037, p=<.001), weight perception (F=60.71, p<.001), weight control experience (F=2.504, p=.013), weight control method (F=5.839, p=.001) and weight control success (F=-2.451, p=.016). There was a significant difference in obesity-related quality of life according to weight perception in the low weight group (F=5.587, p=.021) and in the obesity group (t=3.419, p=.003). Higher correlations were found between the women's BMI group, weight perception and obesity-related quality of life. CONCLUSION: A program to provide appropriate information for weight perception is needed for the low weight group. There is a need for a program about weight reduction as well as weight perception for the obesity group.
Body Mass Index ; Obesity ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Statistics as Topic ; Weight Loss ; Weight Perception

PURPOSE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify factors predictive of survival in rectal cancer patients who received surgery with curative intent after preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between July 1996 and June 2010, 104 patients underwent surgery for rectal cancer after preoperative CRT. The median dose of radiotherapy was 50.4 Gy (range, 43.2 to 54.4 Gy) for 6 weeks. Chemotherapy was a bolus injection of 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin for the first and last week of radiotherapy (n=84, 77.1%) or capecitabine administered daily during radiotherapy (n=17, 16.3%). Low anterior resection (n=86, 82.7%) or abdominoperineal resection (n=18, 17.3%) was performed at a median 47 days from the end of radiotherapy, and four cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy was administered. The serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level was checked at initial diagnosis and just before surgery. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 48 months (range, 9 to 174 months), 5-year disease free survival (DFS) was 74.5% and 5-year overall survival (OS) was 86.4%. Down staging of T diagnoses occurred in 32 patients (30.8%) and of N diagnoses in 40 patients (38.5%). The CEA change from initial diagnosis to pre-surgery (high-high vs. high-normal vs. normal-normal) was a statistically significant prognostic factor for DFS (p=0.012), OS (p=0.002), and distant metastasis free survival (p=0.018) in a multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Patients who achieve normal CEA level by the time of surgery have a more favorable outcome than those who retain a high CEA level after preoperative CRT. The normalization of CEA levels can provide important information about the prognosis in rectal cancer treatment.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Deoxycytidine ; Disease-Free Survival ; Fluorouracil ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies ; Capecitabine

PURPOSE: Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been widely used to treat neutropenia caused by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The efficacy of recombinant human hematopoietic growth factors in improving oral mucositis after chemotherapy or radiotherapy has been recently demonstrated in some clinical studies. This study was designed to determine whether G-CSF can modify the radiation injury of the intestinal mucosa in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and five BALB/c mice weighing 20 grams were divided into nine subgroups including G-CSF alone group (I : 10 microgram/kg or II : 100 microgram/kg), radiation alone group (7.5 or 12 Gy on the whole body), combination group with G-CSF and radiation (G-CSF I or II plus 7.5 Gy, G-CSF I or II plus 12 Gy), and control group. Radiation was administered with a 6 MV linear accelerator (Mevatron Siemens) with a dose rate of 3 Gy/min on day 0. G-CSF was injected subcutaneously for 3 days, once a day, from day -2 to day 0. Each group was sacrificed on the day 1, day 3, and day 7. The mucosal changes of jejunum were evaluated microscopically by crypt count per circumference, villi length, and histologic damage grading. RESULTS: In both G-CSF I and II groups, crypt counts, villi length, and histologic damage scores were not significantly different from those of the control one (p>0.05). The 7.5 Gy and 12 Gy radiation alone groups showed significantly lower crypt counts and higher histologic damage scores compared with those of control one (p<0.05). The groups exposed to 7.5 Gy radiation plus G-CSF I or II showed significantly higher crypt counts and lower histologic damage scores on the day 3, and lower histologic damage scores on the day 7 compared with those of the 7.5 Gy radiation alone one (p<0.05). The 12 Gy radiation plus G-CSF I or II group did not show significant difference in crypt counts and histologic damage scores compared with those of the 12 Gy radiation alone one (p>0,05). Most of the mice in 12 Gy radiation with or without G-CSF group showed intestinal death within 5 days. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that G-CSF may protect the jejunal mucosa from the acute radiation damage following within the tolerable ranges of whole body irradiation in mice.
Animals ; Drug Therapy ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Intestinal Mucosa ; Jejunum ; Mice* ; Mucous Membrane* ; Neutropenia ; Particle Accelerators ; Radiation Dosage ; Radiation Injuries ; Radiotherapy ; Stomatitis ; Whole-Body Irradiation