No abstract available.

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the scale to measure dementia patient's caregiver burden of Korea. In the first phase of the study, 15 caregivers of dementia patients were interviewed to provide narrative data from which items were developed. Initially 65 items were generated from the interview data of 15 caregivers. Content validity was judged by two separate panels of experts with 27 professionals and 30 family caregivers. These items were analyzed through the Index of Content Validity and 33 items were selected which met .80 or more of the CVI. This preliminary FCBSD-K was tested with 207 adult caregivers for reliability and construct validity including item analysis and orthogonal(Varimax) factor analysis. Eight items were deleted because of high or low item-item correlation. The result of the second factor analysis produced six factors that coincided with the conceptual framework posed for the scale developed. The six factors were labeled as 'physio social factor' 'emotional factor' 'family cultural factor' 'role obligation' 'guilt feeling' and 'financial & supportive system factor'. The alpha coefficient relating to internal consistency was .9264 for reliability. In conclusion, cultural factor is related to dementia patient's caregiver burden and FCBSD-K was useful in assessing the dementia patient's caregiver burden in Korea.
Adult ; Caregivers ; Dementia ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Korea

This study was designed to compare the nurse and nurses aids on their perception and performance levels for nosocomial infection control and to evaluate the relevant variables. The study data were obtained from 246 nurses and 219 nurse aids working at two university hospitals in Seoul, by using a constructed questionnaire. The data was collected from March to April of 1998, and analyzed using the SAS program for t-test, two way ANOVA, Pearson's Correlation Coefficients. The results were as follows; 1. The mean score of the perception level for nosocomial infection control of the nurse(M= 4.72) was higher than that of the nurses aids(M= 4.56). 2. No significant association was found between the nurse and nurses aids on their performance level for nosocomial infection control. 3. The score of perception level showed significant interaction by age in all domains, by career in contaminated material and environmental management, and by department in sterile and environmental management. Regarding the performance levels, the score showed significant association between hand washing and clothing management by age and career. However, there was no significant difference by department. 4. A positive correlation was found in the perception and performance levels for nosocomial infection control between the nurse and nurse aids. In conclusion: the mean score of the perception level for nosocomial infection control in nurses was higher than that of their performance level. In the case of nurses aids, the mean scores of the perception and performance level for the nosocomial infection control were the same but lower than those of the nurses. It is suggested that appropriate hospital infection control programs should be developed by continuous systemic education and practice to improve the nurse and nurses aids' level of perception and performance for nosocomial infection control.
Clothing ; Cross Infection* ; Education ; Hand Disinfection ; Hospitals, University ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This is a clinical experimental study aimed to provide basic data to ensure quality care. The purpose of this study is to increase nurses hand washing behavior and decrease respiratory isolation rate of MRSA. METHOD: This study was conducted in Kangnam St. Marys hospital. The subjects included 5 nurses working at the NS ICU and 165 specimen for nasal swabs and 46 specimen for sputum cultures from 106 patients admitted to the NS ICU. The data were collected from June to September 2000. RESULTS: 1.The percentage of the nurses hand washing was 15.6percent but was improved to 46.5 percent after the educational intervention. In particular, hand washing behavior was increased in situations such as after suctioning, before parenteral nutrition, and after providing hygiene care. 2. Results of nasal swab showed that MRSA isolation rate was reduced from 42.8 percent before the education to 18.6percent after the education. The sputum culture results also showed that the MRSA rate was reduced from 40.7percent before the education to 34.6percent after the education. CONCLUSION: The findings showed the nurses' strict hand washing behavior and use of disposable gloves and paper towers as well as use of hand sterilization spray by visitors or families can decrease the MRSA isolation rate in the NS ICU patients. Since the NS ICU patients may have respiratory complications due to long-term hospitalization, the nurses regular hand washing is important enough to be emphasized. Future research should be focused on the impact of nurses' hand washing behavior on the incidence of pneumonia, an iatrogenic infection.
Education* ; Hand Disinfection* ; Hand* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Incidence ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Parenteral Nutrition ; Pneumonia ; Sputum ; Sterilization ; Suction

PURPOSE: This study was to examine whether VRE infection control strategies have an effect on the decrease in incidence rates for VRE acquisition and VRE nosocomial infection in ICU. METHODS: All the patients were examined for VRE carriers on ICU admission. Among them, patients hospitalized for over 48 hours were investigated for VRE acquisition rates and VRE nosocomial infection rate using VRE infection control strategies in ICU for the experimental group from September 2007 to April 2008. Before that, incidence of VRE acquisition and VRE nosocomial infection for the control group without Intervention were investigated from May to August 2007 retrospectively. RESULTS: VRE acquisition rate in clinical specimens was 0.6% in the experimental group, that was significantly lower when compared to the control group. VRE carrier rate at admission to ICU was 15.4%. Out of 182 VRE carriers, 180 patients were identified by the active surveillance culture. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that active surveillance culture at admission was considered to be an essential measure for detection of VRE carrier. But without strict isolation and adherence rating after each intervention, hand washing and contact isolation alone did not significantly decrease VRE nosocomial infection, although it did significantly decrease incidence of VRE acquired from clinical specimen.
Cross Infection ; Hand Disinfection ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infection Control ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Vancomycin

PURPOSE: It was identified that how many homebound bedridden elderlies and their primary caregivers were depressed, and which factors affected the bedridden elderly's depression. METHOD: The subjects were 191 homebound bedridden elderlies and their primary caregivers. The affecting factors were classified into two categories: bedridden elderly and their primary caregiver related factors. Then bedridden elderly's factors were classified demographic and disease-related factors again. The stepwise regression was used to identify significant factors. RESULT: The prevalence of bedridden elderly's and caregiver's depression was 77.8% and 67.0%, respectively. And the model explained 33.3% of variance of bedridden elderly's depression. Cognitively-impaired female elderlies who had depressed caregivers were found to be more depressed. And caregivers who perceived burden were identified to be more depressed. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that the health professionals need to identify bedridden elderlies and caregivers at risk of depression. Especially elderlies who is in poor cognition, those who are female, and those whose caregivers were depressed might be considered carefully in all counseling or follow-up. Also the primary caregivers must be helped to access already available formal and informal support.
Aged ; Caregivers ; Cognition ; Counseling ; Depression* ; Female ; Health Occupations ; Humans ; Prevalence

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the effects of 4% hypertonic saline solution mouthwash and tooth brushing education on the oral health of elders living in long term care facilities. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, the participants were assigned to a 2% experimental group (n=20), a 4% experimental group (n=20), and a control group (n=20). Data were analyzed using ANOVA, repeated measures ANOVA, Fisher exact test, Chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple response analysis with the SAS program. RESULTS: Regular tooth brushing and use of 4% hypertonic saline solution mouthwash by elders provided better oral health by decreasing xerostomia, oral tongue plaque, halitosis, and the number of oral bacteria. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that regular tooth brushing with continuous 4% hypertonic saline solution mouth washing education promotes oral health for elders in long term care facilities, thus the dental care described in this study is recommended for elders in long term facilities.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bacteria/drug effects/isolation & purification ; Dental Plaque/prevention & control ; Female ; Halitosis/prevention & control ; *Homes for the Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Mouthwashes/pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; *Oral Health ; Saline Solution, Hypertonic/pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; Toothbrushing ; Xerostomia/prevention & control

PURPOSE: This study aims to identify the ADL and IADL of bed-ridden elderly. Also it is used to show fuctional status, and to investigate the content and the level of nursing services provided. METHOD: The subjects were 191 elderly who received visiting nurse service through public health centers in the Seoul Metopolitan and Chungnam Province. Data collection was conducted by public health center nurses during four months in 2000. Result: As for daily living activities, 100% of subjects had at least one difficulty in ADL and IADL. Among them, only 0.5% had moderate disabilities and 99.5% had severe disabilities by HFS, 27.9% were in a semi bed-ridden state and 72.1% were completely bed-ridden by JABC. The major service provided was a visiting nurse service which was preferable to the social welfare service. In the visiting nurse service, there was no significant difference according to the elderlys' functional status. In addition there was no standadization about the qualification of the visiting nurse, and single entry point for the nursing service. CONCLUSION: The researchers urgently suggest that a community based comprehensive service model has to be developed to respond to the needs of the elderly in Korea.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Data Collection ; Humans ; Korea ; Nurses, Community Health ; Nursing Services ; Public Health ; Seoul ; Social Welfare

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The purposes of the study were to investigate folate intakes and plasma folate concentrations as well as estimate folate status in Korean healthy adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 254 healthy 19- to 64-year-old adults (68 men and 186 women) living in Seoul metropolitan area, Gumi, and Kwangju, Korea participated. Three consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls, information on folate supplementation, and fasting blood samples were collected from the subjects. RESULTS: The mean dietary folate intakes were 587.4 and 499.2 µg dietary folate equivalent (DFE)/day for men and women, respectively. The median dietary intakes of men and women were 566.6 and 474.6 µg DFE/day, respectively. Forty subjects (16.7% of total) less total folate than the estimated average requirement (EAR). Folate intakes of 23.3% of men and 34.8% of women aged 19–29 years did not meet the EAR for folate. Major food sources consumed for dietary folate were baechukimchi (Chinese cabbage kimchi), rice, spinach, eggs, and laver, which provided 44% of dietary folate intake for the subjects. Plasma folate concentrations were 23.4 nmol/L for men and 28.3 nmol/L for women, and this level was significantly lower in men than in women. Approximately 13% of men and 3% of women were folate-deficient, and the percentages of subjects showing folate concentrations lower than 10 nmol/L were 27.9% of men and 6.4% of women. CONCLUSIONS: Folate intakes of Korean adults in this study were generally adequate. However, one-third of young adults had inadequate folate intakes.
Adult ; Brassica ; Ear ; Eggs ; Fasting ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Gwangju ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nutritional Status ; Ovum ; Plasma ; Recommended Dietary Allowances ; Seoul ; Spinacia oleracea ; Young Adult

This study was to identify the nursing intervention method in finding out the incidence, risk factor, prevention and treatment of bed sore clients who received regional home care nursing services. The eleven home care nurse practitioners took the survey on 97 patients who received home care nursing service from Seoul City Nurses Association for one month from September 26 to October 26 1996. A modified version of Braden's bed sore assessment tool for bed sore risks and a tool for assessment of bed sore stage and measurement bed sore sizes by Bergstrom, Barden, Laguzza and Holman(1987) were as research tools for this study and a questionnaire with 40 questions and 12 items on nursing activities was used to find out the prevention and treatment of bed sores. Also, two open ended questions were used on current approaches and efforts of the treatment being applied to clients. The finding of the study were summarized as following : 1. The rate of bed sore occurrence was 47.4%. 2. The areas of bed sore occurrence were hip(28.9%), sacrum(18.6%), great trochanter(14.4%) and the average number of sore spots were 2.26. 3. Two groups-one with bed sores and the other without were studied to determine prediction factors for bed sore risks. Sensory function, humidity, level of activity, mobility, nutrition, skin friction and chapping and body temperature turned out to be statistically significant factors for bed sores. Also the age of clients turned out to be a individual characteristic variable significantly affecting the rate of bed sore occurrences. 4. The education for clients and family on systematic skin assessment and bed sores and practice of active/passive R.O.M are mainly used as nursing activities for bed sore care. 5. The treatment method varied by stages of bed sores. Sometimes folk remedies like applying the powders of dried elm tree roots to sores were used. Good nutrition, frequent position change and skin care turned to be the most effective means to fast recovery of sores.
Body Temperature ; Education ; Friction ; Home Care Services* ; Humans ; Humidity ; Incidence ; Medicine, Traditional ; Nurse Practitioners ; Nursing Services ; Nursing* ; Powders ; Pressure Ulcer* ; Prevalence* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Sensation ; Seoul ; Skin ; Skin Care ; Ulmus