PURPOSE: Communication in hospitals is one of the major factors in patient safety. So, the purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between intra-organizational communication satisfaction and the safety attitude of nurses in hospitals. METHOD: A descriptive survey design with convenience sampling was used. Data collection was done using a self-report questionnaire answered by 278 nurses from one university hospital located in Kyeoung-gi Province, Korea. RESULT: Intra-organizational communication satisfaction positively correlated with safety attitude (r=.747, p<.01). Among the 6 sub dimensions of safety attitude, perceptions of management (r=.675, p<.01), job satisfaction (r=.640, p<.01) and teamwork climate (r=.600. p<.01) were strongly related to intra-organizational communication satisfaction. Multiple regression analysis was done to identify explanation power of intra-organizational communication satisfaction against safety attitude. The model was significant (F=48.540, p<.01). Intra-organizational communication satisfaction accounted for 60.9% of variance in safety attitude (Adj R2=.609). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that higher levels of intra-organizational communication satisfaction promote positive safety attitude in hospital nurses and that communication media quality is an important factor in patient safety attitude. Therefore, developing interventions to revitalize intra-organizational communication level based on communication media quality will help in the construction of positive safety attitude in nurses.
Climate ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Job Satisfaction ; Patient Safety

The purpose of this study was to identify the degree of self-care activities of stroke patients, the family burden, and the educational needs of primary caregivers. A descriptive survey research was conducted in 97 stroke patients and their respective primary caregivers. Data were collected the using 26th to by interviews a structure questionnare from July August 5th, 1999. NIH stroke status was 12.15+/-8.40, the degree of self-care activities of stroke patients was 26.85+/-9.39. The score of objective burden of primary caregivers was 31.24+/-4.81 and subjective burden was 24.30+/-6.99. The score of the educational needs was 89.78+/-9.99. We present several imformations about clients from these scores as follows: The patients were convalescent and their depentant level of self-care was middle range: The objective burden was higher than the subjective burden: And the educational needs of family caregivers were very high. The Elain Mattis Educational Wants of Family Caregivers of Disabled Adults Questionnaire was used to assess the educational needs of primary caregivers of stroke patients. The results of this research are offered to help nurses understand the feelings of uncertainty about the new and unexpected role that family caregivers face and to help nurses meet the needs of families preparing to care stroke survivors at home.
Adult ; Caregivers* ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Self Care* ; Stroke* ; Survivors ; Uncertainty

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing health promoting lifestyle in the elderly. METHOD: The subject of this study was 305 elderly person over the age of 60, living in rural and urban, Korea. For the analysis of collected data, descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance and stepwise multiple regression were used for statistical analysis with SPSS statistical program. RESULTS: The average item score for the health promoting lifestyle was 2.46. The higher score on the subscale was nutrition(2.65). The lowest score on the subscale were physical activity(2.36) and stress management(2.36). General characteristics showing statistically significant difference in health promoting lifestyle were age, residential district, live together spouse, education, religion and pocket money in the elderly. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor of health promoting lifestyle in the elderly was prior related behavior(R2=.554). A combination of prior related behavior, perceived benefits of action, perceived self-efficacy, commitment to a plan of action, and interpersonal influences accounted for 64.3% of the variance in health promoting lifestyle in the elderly. CONCLUSION: The factors influencing on health promoting lifestyle for elderly were prior related behavior, perceived benefits of action, perceived self-efficacy, commitment to a plan of action, and interpersonal influences.
*Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; *Health Behavior ; *Health Promotion ; Humans ; Life Style ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Psychological

This is a case report of a cystic hygroma with polycystic kidney in a fetus which was suspected by ultrasonography and was confirmed by autopsy. Recently, we have experienced this case in 25-year old woman repeatedly and we report that with a brief review of relevant literature.
Adult ; Autopsy ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Lymphangioma, Cystic* ; Polycystic Kidney Diseases* ; Ultrasonography

Hydranencephaly is congenital absence of the cerebral hemispheres which are replaced by a large fluid-filled cavity. The brain stem and basal ganglia are well formed and rudiments of frontal k occipital cortex may be present. We experienced a case of hydranencephaly caused by both internal carotid artery stenosis. We diagnosed it through the brain CT sonogram and doppler sonogram. A brief review of the related literatures was made.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Carotid Artery, Internal* ; Carotid Stenosis* ; Cerebrum ; Hydranencephaly*

This study was undertaken to make current fetal growth curve throughout later part of pregnancy. 5,110 normal singleton deliveries at Il Shin Christian Hospital were included. The 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th percentiles of birth weight were calculated from 21 to 42 weeks' gestation and the 10th, 50th, 90th percentiles of birth weight compared by fetal sex, maternal parity and height were graphed to know the potency of factors. There was a linear growth pattern between 28 and 38 weeks' gestation. During last month of prgnancy, three factors have significant effect on median birth weight but no significant differences in 10th percentiles. Maternal height & parity significantly affeect on 90th percentiles. So, these factors must be considered when diagnosing large for date.
Birth Weight* ; Female ; Fetal Development ; Gestational Age* ; Parity ; Parturition* ; Pregnancy

The purpose of this study was to verify the use of Seo's Elderly Stress Scale (SESS), which was developed in 1996. Through the modified tool, it is possible to examine the stress of Korean elders and to contribute to the welfare of them. The subjects were 350 elders over 65 years old who live in Seoul, Kwang-Ju, Yang-Ju Gun Kyung-ki Do, Ui-Jong Bu, and Young-Am Kun, Jeun-Ra Nam Do. the data of 331 elders (94%) were analyzed. Data were collected between January and March in 1996 and analyzed using the SPSS Win 8.0. The result are as follows: 1. Items with low correlation with the total items were removed. So 27 items were removed and 37 items remained. This 37 items were death in the family and/or close friends, family member's behavior not meeting expectations, marriage of daughter, marriage of son, friction with daughter- in-law, argument among children, children refuse to live with parent, children leaving home, sex injury or accident, in frequest visits from children and grandchildren, providing care for your daughter or daughter-in-law post-partum, decrease in decision making and authority in home, Lunar new year and the harvest featival, house sitting, working in the house, performing a sacrificial rite, missed birthday, not living with the eldest son, decreased eyesight, decreased strength, decreased memory, sleep pattern changes, thoughts about death, loneliness, decreased hearing, change of dental condition, change in your diet or eating style, difficulty in self care, moving because of disease or aging, argument with friend or neighbour, travel, dealing with the procedure of heritage, loss of money or property, not enough pocket money, hearing on elderly neglect in television or radio, hope of going home and ignorant from others. 2. Overlapped items were discussed by colleagues and were modified. 'marriage of daughter' and 'marriage of son' were modified in 'marriage of children'. 'self injury or accidents' and 'family accidents' were modified in to self or family accidents. 3. Factor analysis was done in order to identify validity and three factors were obtained from the result. The first factor familial relation area, included 17 items. The second factor, physical area, included 9 items. The third factor, psycho-socio-economic area, included 9 items. Cronbach coefficient alpha for the 35 items was .923. 4. Pearson's correlation was .704 between SESS and SOS (Symptoms of Stress) in order to confirm construct validity. Based on the result, the following is suggested; 1. The modified SESS needs to be reverified with elder. 2. Korean elder's health promotion can be made by development of stress intervention which was accurately measured with SESS.
Aged* ; Aging ; Child ; Decision Making ; Diet ; Eating ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Friction ; Friends ; Gwangju ; Gyeonggi-do ; Health Promotion ; Hearing ; Hope ; Humans ; Loneliness ; Marriage ; Memory ; Nuclear Family ; Parents ; Self Care ; Seoul ; Television

This study was performed using mealtime atmosphere to characterize the food ecology of Korean children residing in different regions of Korea. A total of 705 elementary school students, 347 girls and 358 boys, were divided into three groups according to the areas where they lived, which included Seoul (n = 230), provincial cities (n = 273) and rural areas (n = 202). The subjects were asked to fill out questionnaires which were categorized to determine various factors related to food ecology, life styles, and health related symptoms. The average age of the study subjects was 11.5 years. The results showed that the average height (p < 0.01), weight (p < 0.01) and body mass index (BMIs)(p < 0.01) of the rural group were significantly lower than those of the Seoul and provincial city groups. A significantly higher proportion (10.4%) of the rural group was from disfunctional families, including single parent families, than those of the Seoul (1.7%) or provincial city (4.4%) groups. However, a larger number of children from Seoul ate alone, did not enjoy their meals, and hardly talked to each other during breakfast time, compared to those from the provincial city or rural areas. Also, the proportion (33.0%) of 'good' in balance of meal was the lowest (33.0%) in Seoul of the three areas (p < 0.01). Most of the children answered that they liked having breakfast and dinner with the whole family. In conclusion, the food ecology of elementary children differed according to the regions in which they resided. Although children from Seoul had higher BMIs, their nutritional intake was not satisfactory, and their undesirable food ecology could be a contributing factor.
Atmosphere ; Body Mass Index ; Breakfast ; Child* ; Ecology* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Meals ; Seoul ; Single-Parent Family ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to examine the effectiveness of a behavioral intervention program combining pelvic floor muscle exercise with bladder training for urinary incontinence and also to conduct follow-up assessment after self-training. METHODS: This study was conducted using a non-equivalent control group, pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 60 middle-aged women (control group, n=30; intervention group, n=30) who experienced an episode of urinary incontinence at least once a week. The program was run over a 4 week period (once a week) and composed of urinary incontinence education, pelvic floor muscle exercise, and bladder training. RESULTS: Overall, there was a significant difference in urinary incontinence symptoms and psycho-social wellbeing related to urinary incontinence between the treatment and control group. Of the variables, weekly leakage frequencies, leakage amounts on each occasion, leakage index, frequencies of nocturia, and quality of life were significantly different between the groups. Follow-up assessment (9th week) indicated that overall incontinence symptoms and psycho-social well-being were significantly different between the posttest and follow-up assessments. Most variables of incontinence symptoms and psycho-social well-being were significantly improved at follow-up assessment versus posttest. CONCLUSIONS: The program was overall effective in terms of relieving symptoms and improving psycho-social well-being related to urinary incontinence, and this effect continued after a 4-weeks self-training period. In the respect that this is a community-based application study, the results can be meaningful and applicable.
Urinary Incontinence/*rehabilitation ; *Pelvic Floor ; Multivariate Analysis ; Middle Aged ; Humans ; Female ; Exercise Therapy/*methods ; Behavior Therapy/*methods ; Adult

It is well documented that cardiac myxomas are associated with immunologic features that can simulate systemic autoimmune diseases. Recently, it was reported that cardiac myxomas produce IL-6 constitutively, which could partly explain the immunologic features observed in these patients. However, only a few investigators have studied cytokines in regards to symptoms they may cause in patients with cardiac myxoma. Also there is very little information in the literature on the immunohistochmical localization of IL-6. We performed immunobistochemical stains for IL-4, TNF, and IL-6 on paraffm embbeded tissue of cardiac myxoma tissue. A bioassay of IL-6 activity in patient's serum and in cultured cells from fresh myxoma tissue was performed to ascertain the role of these cytokines in myxomas. In this study, we demonstrated inununohistochemically that there was a local overproduction of IL-4, TNF, and IL-6 in cytoplasm of the tumor cells in about half cases. Bioassays of the serum and cultured tumor cells revealed elevated IL-6 activities. Also these findings correlate to production of patient's constitutional symptoms with statistical significance (P<0.05). In conclusion, these results are of considerable importance in understanding the role of IL-4, TNF, and IL-6 in cardiac myxoma patient with constitutional symptoms, and have an impact on strategies for diagnosis and therapy of cardiac myxoma.