PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a comprehensive smoking cessation program for Korean adolescents. METHOD: The study design was quasi-experimental with one pre and three post-tests. The three posttests were done immediately after, three months later, and six months after the completion of the program. A total of 43 high school students who smoked participated in the study with 22 in the experimental group and 21 in the control group. The smoking cessation program consisted of 9 sessions with content on enhancement of self-efficacy, stress management, correction of distorted thoughts, consciousness raising, and assertiveness training. The study variables were urine cotinine levels, self-efficacy, stress, and stages of changed behavior. RESULTS: Urine cotinine levels significantly decreased in the experimental group after the program (F=3.02, p=.06) but significantly increased in the control group (F=6.32, p=.004). Self-efficacy and the degree of stress did not change in either group. The stages of smoking cessation behavior tended to change when compared with raw data for the experimental group. For most participants, the stages of change had been precontemplation and contemplation, but changed to action and maintenance stage among the experimental group. CONCLUSION: The program was effective in smoking cessation and influencing stages of change but did not change psychosocial factors such as self-efficacy and stress. It is suggested a program should be developed to change psychosocial variables on a long-term basis. It is also desirable to involve peers and families of adolescents who smoke when planning programs to enhance social support.
Adolescent ; Adolescent Behavior ; Adolescent Health Services/*organization & administration ; Adolescent Psychology ; Analysis of Variance ; Attitude to Health ; Cotinine/urine ; Educational Status ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Korea ; Longitudinal Studies ; Needs Assessment ; Patient Education as Topic/*organization & administration ; Personality Inventory ; Program Development ; Program Evaluation ; Questionnaires ; School Health Services/*organization & administration ; Self Efficacy ; Smoking/*prevention & control/psychology/urine ; Smoking Cessation/*methods/psychology ; Stress, Psychological/complications/psychology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop an educational program to reduce negative attitudes toward persons with mental illness (PMIs) using online media and to test its effectiveness. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group with a pre-posttest was employed in this study. A total of 143 lay people were enrolled. The study variables were knowledge and attitudes about mental illness, and social distance. The four domains of attitudes were authoritarianism, benevolence, social restrictiveness and community mental health ideology. RESULTS: Phase 1: In an attempt to develop an educational program, the researcher conducted interviews with lay people and families of PMIs, and reviewed the pertinent literature. Three mental health professionals were consulted after developing the program. The program consisted of eight sessions. Phase 2: Community mental health ideology differed significantly between groups after the experiment. Knowledge tended to increase in the experimental group, while social restrictiveness showed a tendency to decrease. However, the changes were not significant in either case. Authoritarianism, benevolence, and social distance were not significantly different between groups. There was a significant difference in the pattern of change over time for both groups regarding authoritarianism, benevolence, and social restrictiveness. CONCLUSIONS: The program developed here was partially effective at changing negative attitudes. The online video program can be used by community mental health nurses to enhance general knowledge and help reduce stigma.
Authoritarianism ; Beneficence ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Mental Health ; Social Distance

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a rehabilitation program on hope and self-efficacy in a sample of homeless adolescent substance abusers at a halfway house in Seoul, Korea. METHODS: Five residents of a halfway house were provided with a 16-week rehabilitation program based on a cognitive-behavioral approach. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, this study used a single-case experimental design with the variables - hope and self-efficacy - being measured at pre-, post-, and followup tests. RESULTS: While three participants showed considerable positive changes in hope and self-efficacy after the program, two participants did not show any positive changes. Despite this lack of consistent patterns in the effectiveness of the rehabilitation program, there was a qualitative change in social status (such as academic and work status) for the participants at the follow-up test. CONCLUSION: A rehabilitation program based on a cognitive-behavioral approach may improve the hope and selfefficacy of homeless adolescent substance abusers at a halfway house and help them to reintegrate into society.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe motivational factors and barriers which nurses experience while preparing for the NCLEX-RN Exam. METHOD: Data was collected from July 5 to August 28, 2002 using self-administered open questionnaires. A total 144 nurses preparing for the NCLEX-RN Exam participated in this study. Descriptive statistics were used and respondents' statements were analyzed using content analysis. RESULT: The motivation for taking the NCLEX-RN Exam was for a new adventure (23.7%), better working conditions and benefits (20.4%), children's education (14.5%), to study aboard (13.8%), economic issues (11.8%), and career issues (11.2%). The barriers while preparing for the NCLEX-RN Exam were studying in English (35.3%), fatigue (21.8%), limited time (16.0%), lack of information (8.3%), complicated documentation (5.1%), and cultural differences (4.5%). CONCLUSION: The result suggests that it is imperative to improve working conditions and benefits for nurses in Korea to prevent the brain drain of highly experienced nurses to other countries. It is also essential to develop strategies to minimize the barriers to support nurses preparing for the NCLEX-RN Exam and promote jobs overseas.
Brain ; Education ; Fatigue ; Korea ; Licensure ; Motivation* ; Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: Schizophrenia seriously degrades the ability to function normally in those who suffer from this disease. The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive online medication adherence enhancement program and to test its effectiveness among schizophrenia patients who live in community relatively neglected with few inputs or oversights from community mental health centers. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group with prepost test was employed during the study. Participants included fifty-two chronic schizophrenia patients, twentysix experimental, and a control group of twenty-six. The study variables were medication knowledge, perceived benefits, self efficacy, social support and medication compliance. RESULTS: There were significant differences between two groups in perceived benefits (F=5.67, p=0.02), self-efficacy (F=6.38, p=0.01), social support (F=14.63, p<0.001) but no significant differences in medication knowledge (F=0.82, p=0.37), and medication compliance (F=0.89, p=0.35) when the program was completed. However, medication knowledge in posttest I and posttest II which was taken after 3 months of the program were significantly increased in the experimental group (F=8.88, p<0.001). Medication adherence in posttest II was significantly increased in the experimental group (F=6.10, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The online medication adherence enhancement program for persons with schizophrenia was effective at increasing psychosocial variables such as perceived benefits, self efficacy, and social support. This program can be used for schizophrenic persons in community mental health centers, patients' homes, hospitals, and community centers.
Community Mental Health Centers ; Humans ; Medication Adherence ; Schizophrenia ; Self Efficacy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Drug abuse is one of the most serious problems among the Korean adolescents today and has been associated with delinquent behavior in adolescents. The number of adolescents who abuse drugs is increasing yearly. Solutions to the problem, however, have not been well developed. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a drug use prevention program which was developed by researchers. The program was a modified DARE(Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program for Korean adolescents. MEHTODS: This study used an experimental, one-group pretest-posttest design with a convenience sample of 122 middle school students who were at one middle school located in Seoul. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire where 'knowledge and attitude about drug use', 'social skill', and 'self-esteem' were measured. The program had 12 sessions to improve knowledge and attitudes towards drugs, decision making skills, social resistance skills, management of stress and self-esteem of students. Teaching strategies for each session were varied : lectures, group discussion, role-playing, question-and-answer sessions and audiovisual materials. Paired t-test was used to analyze the differences between the pre- and post-test scores on knowledge of and attitudes towards drug use, social skills, and self-esteem. RESULTS: There were significant differences in knowledge and attitudes about drug use between pretest and post-test(p<.05), but no significant differences in social skill and self-esteem(p>.05). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that the drug use prevention program was not effective in promoting social-skill and self-esteem of Korean adolescents. These findings might be due to the respondents being in the period of early adolescence(puberty) and not being good at group discussion. So, further study is needed to develop a drug use prevention program appropriate to students 9 and 10 years old, and to encourage small group discussion.
Adolescent* ; Child ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Decision Making ; Humans ; Lectures ; Seoul ; Street Drugs ; Substance-Related Disorders

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Drug abuse is one of the most serious problems among the Korean adolescents today and has been associated with delinquent behavior in adolescents. The number of adolescents who abuse drugs is increasing yearly. Solutions to the problem, however, have not been well developed. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a drug use prevention program which was developed by researchers. The program was a modified DARE(Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program for Korean adolescents. MEHTODS: This study used an experimental, one-group pretest-posttest design with a convenience sample of 122 middle school students who were at one middle school located in Seoul. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire where 'knowledge and attitude about drug use', 'social skill', and 'self-esteem' were measured. The program had 12 sessions to improve knowledge and attitudes towards drugs, decision making skills, social resistance skills, management of stress and self-esteem of students. Teaching strategies for each session were varied : lectures, group discussion, role-playing, question-and-answer sessions and audiovisual materials. Paired t-test was used to analyze the differences between the pre- and post-test scores on knowledge of and attitudes towards drug use, social skills, and self-esteem. RESULTS: There were significant differences in knowledge and attitudes about drug use between pretest and post-test(p<.05), but no significant differences in social skill and self-esteem(p>.05). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that the drug use prevention program was not effective in promoting social-skill and self-esteem of Korean adolescents. These findings might be due to the respondents being in the period of early adolescence(puberty) and not being good at group discussion. So, further study is needed to develop a drug use prevention program appropriate to students 9 and 10 years old, and to encourage small group discussion.
Adolescent* ; Child ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Decision Making ; Humans ; Lectures ; Seoul ; Street Drugs ; Substance-Related Disorders

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore suicidal ideation among adolescents and to identify the factors that may increase the likelihood of suicidal ideation among adolescents. The factors included depression, individuality, relatedness, cognitive deconstruction, social desirability, and alexithymia. METHODS: The data were collected from March 4 to May 29, 2009 from 1,519 adolescents who were conveniently selected from five different middle and high schools in Seoul. The data were analyzed and interpreted using descriptive statistics, correlation, and stepwise multiple linear regression with the SPSS/WIN program. RESULTS: The major findings of this study were: 1) More than 30% of the participants had a history of having suicidal ideation while 6.3% had attempted suicide. 2) Suicidal ideation was positively related to depression, alexithymia, and cognitive deconstruction and negatively related to relatedness and social desirability. 3) Regression analysis showed 29% of variance in suicidal ideation can be explained by depression, individuality, cognitive deconstruction, living with father, living alone, and living with relatives. CONCLUSION: Adolescents with depression, higher individuality, cognitive deconstruction, and not living with their parents require more attention to prevent suicide. It is necessary to develop programs to prevent adolescents' suicide.
Adolescent* ; Affective Symptoms ; Depression ; Fathers ; Humans ; Individuality ; Linear Models ; Parents ; Psychology* ; Seoul ; Social Desirability ; Suicidal Ideation* ; Suicide ; Suicide, Attempted

To determine chronic alcoholism (or alcohol abuse) in postmortem cases, investigating the evidence in incident (or medical) reports is important, but it may not be certain. The indicator of alcohol abuse over long time periods was analyzed from hair as ethyl glucuronide (EtG). Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) was analyzed from blood as a representative indicator of ketosis. Moreover, the blood was analyzed for ethanol (ethyl alcohol, EtOH) and EtG before death to determine drinking. Case 1 had chronic alcoholism and a history of diabetic disease. EtG concentration was 1,244 pg/mg in hair, and BHB in the blood was 276 mg/L. EtOH was less than 0.010% in the blood, however EtG was 0.38 mg/ L as drinking positive. Case 2 had a habit of drinking well, with EtG in hair of 54 pg/mg, BHB in the blood of 371 mg/L, EtOH of < 0.010%, and EtG of 0.81 mg/L.Although the EtOH was not detected in the blood, it was evaluated that alcohol was consumed before death, due to the EtG detected. In conclusion, forensic information from simultaneous analysis of EtG and BHB in biological samples (hair or blood) could be more cause of death effective assistant in chronic alcoholism (or alcohol abuse).

PURPOSE: Hyperlipidemia, which promotes the development of atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, and other forms of brain injury, can be induced by poloxamer-407. Berberine is a primary pharmacological active component of Coptidis Rhizoma that has a number of therapeutic activities. This study investigated the effects of berberine on poloxamer-407-induced brain inflammation by evaluating its effects on short-term memory, cell proliferation, inflammation, and apoptosis in the hippocampus. METHODS: To induce hyperlipidemia in a rat model, 500 mg/kg of poloxamer-407 was injected intraperitoneally. Berberine was orally administered to the rats in the berberine-treated groups once a day for 4 weeks. The step-down task avoidance task was performed to measure short-term memory. An analysis of serum lipids, immunohistochemistry for 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) in the dentate gyrus, and western blot analysis for Bax, Bcl-2, and cytochrome c in the hippocampus were performed. RESULTS: In hyperlipidemic rats, berberine reduced the levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increased the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in hyperlipidemic rats. Berberine also increased cell proliferation and short-term memory, as well as decreasing the expression of GFAP, Iba1, Bax, and cytochrome c and increasing Bcl-2 expression. CONCLUSIONS Berberine treatment improved short-term memory in hyperlipidemia by increasing neuronal proliferation and inhibiting neuronal apoptosis. Berberine treatment also improved lipid metabolism.