PURPOSE: This study was done to describe the return to work experience of military officers with cancer. METHODS: Individual in-depth interviews with 15 participants were conducted between September 2013 and April 2014. Participants were interviewed 1~4 times; interviews continued until the data became saturated. Data were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory. RESULTS: The core category emerged as "living a new life after enduring difficulties". The return to work process consisted of four sequential phases: chaos, positive thought formation, behavior practices, and reformation. Action/interaction strategies used by military officers with cancer to resolve enduring difficulties were controlling emotions, accepting reality, prioritizing health, making efforts to improve relationships, and looking for future jobs. CONCLUSION: These results will promote understanding of military officers' return to work experience following cancer survival, and will be helpful in developing more effective nursing interventions through enhanced perspectives and insights of practitioners.
Adult ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Military Personnel/*psychology ; Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; Return to Work ; Social Support

Objective: Telomere shortening has been seen in major psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder.However, only a few small studies have examined this in bipolar disorder (BD). We compared the telomere length in patients with BD1 or BD2 with that in matched healthy controls. Methods: We included 215 patients with BD (128 BD1, 87 BD2) and 204 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Relative telomere length was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The patients and controls were compared separately for age groups, sex, and BD subgroups (BD1 and BD2). Results: We found significant telomere shortening in patients with BD1 (p ＜ 0.001), but not in patients with BD2.In male patients with BD1, the 30−39 year age group had significant shortening of telomere length than controls (p = 0.01). Female patients with BD1 in the 19−29-year age group had significantly shortened telomeres compared to the controls (p ＜ 0.01). Conclusion Our results suggest a significant reduction in telomere length in BD1. Telomere shortening would be a potential biomarker for BD.

Chronotype is an important moderator of psychiatric illnesses, which seems to be controlled in some part by genetic factors. Clock genes are the most relevant genes for chronotype. In addition to the roles of individual genes, gene-gene interactions of clock genes substantially contribute to chronotype. We investigated genetic associations and gene-gene interactions of the clock genes BHLHB2, CLOCK, CSNK1E, NR1D1, PER1, PER2, PER3, and TIMELESS for chronotype in 1293 healthy Korean individuals. Regression analysis was conducted to find associations between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and chronotype. For gene-gene interaction analyses, the quantitative multifactor dimensionality reduction (QMDR) method, a nonparametric model-free method for quantitative phenotypes, were performed. No individual SNP or haplotype showed a significant association with chronotype by both regression analysis and single-locus model of QMDR. QMDR analysis identified NR1D1 rs2314339 and TIMELESS rs4630333 as the best SNP pairs among two-locus interaction models associated with chronotype (cross-validation consistency [CVC] = 8/10, p = 0.041). For the three-locus interaction model, the SNP combination of NR1D1 rs2314339, TIMELESS rs4630333, and PER3 rs228669 showed the best results (CVC = 4/10, p < 0.001). However, because the mean differences between genotype combinations were minor, the clinical roles of clock gene interactions are unlikely to be critical.

Objective: Telomere shortening has been seen in major psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder.However, only a few small studies have examined this in bipolar disorder (BD). We compared the telomere length in patients with BD1 or BD2 with that in matched healthy controls. Methods: We included 215 patients with BD (128 BD1, 87 BD2) and 204 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Relative telomere length was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The patients and controls were compared separately for age groups, sex, and BD subgroups (BD1 and BD2). Results: We found significant telomere shortening in patients with BD1 (p ＜ 0.001), but not in patients with BD2.In male patients with BD1, the 30−39 year age group had significant shortening of telomere length than controls (p = 0.01). Female patients with BD1 in the 19−29-year age group had significantly shortened telomeres compared to the controls (p ＜ 0.01). Conclusion Our results suggest a significant reduction in telomere length in BD1. Telomere shortening would be a potential biomarker for BD.

Chronotype is an important moderator of psychiatric illnesses, which seems to be controlled in some part by genetic factors. Clock genes are the most relevant genes for chronotype. In addition to the roles of individual genes, gene-gene interactions of clock genes substantially contribute to chronotype. We investigated genetic associations and gene-gene interactions of the clock genes BHLHB2, CLOCK, CSNK1E, NR1D1, PER1, PER2, PER3, and TIMELESS for chronotype in 1293 healthy Korean individuals. Regression analysis was conducted to find associations between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and chronotype. For gene-gene interaction analyses, the quantitative multifactor dimensionality reduction (QMDR) method, a nonparametric model-free method for quantitative phenotypes, were performed. No individual SNP or haplotype showed a significant association with chronotype by both regression analysis and single-locus model of QMDR. QMDR analysis identified NR1D1 rs2314339 and TIMELESS rs4630333 as the best SNP pairs among two-locus interaction models associated with chronotype (cross-validation consistency [CVC] = 8/10, p = 0.041). For the three-locus interaction model, the SNP combination of NR1D1 rs2314339, TIMELESS rs4630333, and PER3 rs228669 showed the best results (CVC = 4/10, p < 0.001). However, because the mean differences between genotype combinations were minor, the clinical roles of clock gene interactions are unlikely to be critical.

OBJECTIVE: Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of early childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social interaction and language skills, and repetitive behaviors. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a critical role in the differentiation of normal neuronal cells during embryonic and postnatal neuronal development through its neurotrophic effects. METHODS: In this study, we performed a family-based association test (FBAT) between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs6265, rs11030101, rs7103411, and rs7103873) or haplotypes in the BDNF gene and affection status or several quantitative traits characterized by ADI-R with151 Korean trios, including a child diagnosed as ASDs. RESULTS: While no significant association was found between SNPs or haplotypes and the ASDs disease status, a quantitative transmission disequilibrium test (QTDT) by using quantitative traits identified associations of the SNPs (rs6265 and rs11030101) with a domain score for "Restricted, Repetitive and Stereotyped patterns of behavior" (C domain), especially at the subdomain scores for "encompassing preoccupation or circumscribed pattern of interest" (C1) (rs6265A allele, dominant model, p-value=0.019; rs11030101 A allele, additive model, p-value=0.015) and "preoccupations with part of objects or non-functional elements of material" (C4) (rs11030101 A allele, additive model, p-value=0.015) within the ADI-R diagnostic algorithm. In addition, significant associations were also identified between the haplotypes and these quantitative traits (C1, p-value=0.016; C4, p-value=0.012). CONCLUSION: We conclude that BDNF gene polymorphisms have a possible role in the pathogenesis of ASDs.
Alleles ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor* ; Child ; Autism Spectrum Disorder* ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations ; Neurons ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

This study evaluated the family-based genetic association between autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and 5 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the catechol-o-methyltransferase gene (COMT), which was found among 151 Korean ASDs family trios (dominant model Z = 2.598, P = 0.009, P(FDR) = 0.045). We found a statistically significant allele transmission or association in terms of the rs6269 SNP in the ASDs trios. Moreover, in the haplotype analysis, the haplotypes with rs6269 demonstrated significant evidence of an association with ASDs (additive model rs6269-rs4818-rs4680-rs769224 haplotype P = 0.004, P(FDR) = 0.040). Thus, an association may exist between the variants of the COMT gene and the occurrence of ASDs in Koreans.
Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*genetics ; Catechol O-Methyltransferase/*genetics ; Child ; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/diagnosis/*genetics ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Male ; *Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Republic of Korea

To identify osteoporosis and examine the relationship between health behavior and the self-efficacy of middle-aged women, a descriptive survey was conducted. The subjects were 465 healthy female residents of Kyunggido, Korea, who underwent ultrasound measurement and a health examination at the Kangmeung-Ci Health Center between July and August 2000. They were 40 to 60 years old, with a mean age of 46.7 years. The subjects completed a self- reported questionnaire that consisted of seven items concerning health behavior and twelve items concerning self-efficacy related to osteoporosis. Bone density was evaluated from ultrasound measurements of the right heel. All the data were analyzed using the program SAS-PC. The study found that the mean T score related to bone density was -1.30, and ranged from -3.52 to 3.06. Based on the T score, 74.8% of the subjects were normal, 12.9% had osteopenia, and 12.3% had osteoporosis. The mean osteoporosis self-efficacy score was 41.17 and ranged from 12 to 60. Osteoporosis self-efficacy differed significantly with health behavior related to health supplementary food (t=5.63, p=.018), exercise (t=6.65, p=.010), alcohol drinking(t=10.80, p=.001), and smoking (t=10.23, p=.001). A community-based health promotion program should be developed to prevent osteoporosis in middle-aged women.
Bone Density* ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Health Behavior ; Health Promotion ; Heel ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the inflow and outflow patterns of emergency department patients with si-gun-gu in the Gwangju, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam areas. METHODS: Data from the Gwangju, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam were extracted from the National Emergency Department Information System in 2016. The extracted data (on 42 areas in Gwangju, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam) using the variables of the patient's address (zip code) and the emergency medical institution code (emergency medical institution address) were used to calculate the relevance index and commitment index. The calculated indices were classified into the regional types by applying NbClust and cluster analysis (K-means) of the R package. RESULTS: The relevance indices ranged from 12.5% to 90.4%, and the commitment indices ranged from 9.2% to 90.3%. The results of cluster analysis with the relevance indices and commitment indices revealed three types for 39 areas. In cluster 1, the relevance indices ranged from 43.5% to 61.6%, and the commitment indices ranged from 9.2% to 49.5%. Three out of the thirty-nine areas were classified as the inflow type. In cluster 2, the relevance indices ranged from 12.5% to 56.0% and the commitment indices ranged from 62.5% to 90.3%; 12 areas were classified as the outflow type. The areas in cluster 3 were classified as the self-sufficient type, with relevance indices ranging from 60.1% to 90.4% and commitment indices ranging from 59.0% to 89.7% for 24 areas. CONCLUSION: Three area types and 11 out of 12 areas classified as outflow types were found to be emergency medical vulnerable areas. The results of this study can be used to establish local emergency medical policies.
Cluster Analysis ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Gwangju ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Jeollabuk-do ; Jeollanam-do

OBJECTIVES: The incidence of hepatitis A infections among young adults has recently increased in South Korea. Although universal vaccination has often been suggested to mitigate the problem, its rationale has not been well-understood. Estimating the societal costs of hepatitis A infections might support the development of intervention strategies. METHODS: We classified hepatitis A infections into eight clinical pathways and estimated the number of occurrences and cost per case for each clinical pathway using claim data from National Health Insurance and several national surveys as well as assumptions based on previous studies. To determine the total costs of a hepatitis A infection, both direct and indirect costs were estimated. Indirect costs were estimated using the human-capital approach. All costs are adjusted to the year 2008. RESULTS: There were 30,240 identified cases of hepatitis A infections in 2008 for a total cost of 80,873 million won (2.7 million won per case). Direct and indirect costs constituted 56.2% and 43.8% of the total costs, respectively. People aged 20-39 accounted for 71.3% of total cases and 74.6% of total costs. Medical costs per capita were the lowest in the 0-4 age group and highest in the 20-29 age group. CONCLUSIONS: This study could provide evidence for development of cost-effective interventions to control hepatitis A infections. But the true costs including uncaptured and intangible costs of hepatitis A infections might be higher than our results indicate.
Cost of Illness ; Critical Pathways ; Hepatitis A* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; National Health Programs ; Republic of Korea ; Vaccination ; Young Adult