The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of social support on loneliness and life satisfaction in elderly Korean Immigrants living in the U.S.A. The sample consisted of 174 community-dwelling elderly Korean Immigrants who lived in a large Midwestern city area. Telephone interviews were used to collect the data using translated Korean version of the Social Support Questionnaire 6, Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Life Satisfaction Index-Z. A descriptive level correlational design was used in this study. Results indicated that the subjects had on the average of two to three emotional supporters. The mean score of social support satisfaction was between fairly and a little satisfaction on the scale. The mean score of loneliness was 42.60, indicating that the subjects were moderately lonely. the mean score of life satisfaction was 12.94, indicating that the subjects were moderately satisfied with their life. In this study, social support variables( network size and satisfaction ) had both a direct effect on life satisfaction and an indirect effect through loneliness. Elderly Korean immigrants who had the large number of people in their network were less lonely and thus more satisfied with their life than those who had the small number of people in their network. also, elderly Koreans who were more satisfied with social support were less lonely and thus more satisfied with their life than those who were less satisfied with social support. Social support satisfaction was a better predictor for loneliness and life satisfaction than social network size.
Aged* ; Emigrants and Immigrants* ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Loneliness* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of endometriosis on IVF-ET cycles and to compare IVF outcomes between stage I/II and stage III/IV endometriosis. METHODS: We analyzed 697 patients (1,199 cycles) with endometriosis (stage I-II: 638 cycles, stage III-IV: 561 cycles) and 325 pts (459 cycles) with tubal factor as controls between January 1994 and April 2004. Pts with endometriosis were diagnosed by laparoscopy and medical and surgical treatment were done in 353 cycles (55.3%) and 466 cycles (83.1%) of stage I-II/stage III-IV endometriosis. Cycles with age>35 years or FSH>20 mIU/mL or severe male factor infertility were excluded. RESULTS: The number of retrieved oocytes (9.97+/-7.2 vs. 13.4+/-7.9 (p<0.0001)), total number of embryos (6.5+/-4.8 vs. 9.1+/-5.6 (p<0.0001)), and good quality embryos (2.43+/-1.6 vs. 2.74+/-1.7 (p=0.013)) significantly decreased in stage III-IV endometriosis than in control. But pregnancy rate of stage III-IV endometriosis was comparable with control (35.7% vs. 36.8%). Fertilization rate and number of total embryos were lower in stage I-II endometriosis than in control (64.8+/-22.9 vs. 70.8+/-20.8 (p<0.0001), 7.6+/-5.0 vs. 9.1+/-5.6 (p<0.0001)). In patients with medical and surgical treatment of endometriosis, pregnancy rate and live birth rate was significantly lower in stage I-II than in stage III-IV endometriosis (29.2 vs. 36.2 (%), p=0.045, 23.9 vs. 31.5 (%), p=0.043). There was no difference in the mean age, but the duration of infertility was significantly longer (56.5+/-26.3 vs. 46.9+/-25.8 (mon), p<0.0001) and fertilization rate was lower (64.7+/-23.3 vs. 70.5+/-22.7 (%), p=0.001) in stage I-II than stage III-IV endometriosis. CONCLUSION: We suggest that IVF should be considered earlier in patients with minimal to mild endometriosis because of significantly decreased fertilization rates.
Embryonic Structures ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Infertility ; Laparoscopy ; Live Birth ; Male ; Oocytes ; Pregnancy Rate

No abstract available.
Glycoproteins* ; Immunity, Cellular ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella*

Acute appendicitis is the most common acute surgical condition of the abdomen. when the clinical presentationis atypical, barium enema has proven to be safe and useful in confirming the diagnosis and reducing the negativesurgical exploration. However, the performance of barium enema in acute appendicitis has known contraindicationprimarily because of fear of leakage by perforation of the inflammed appendix. This study using barium enema as adiagnostic aid in acute appendicitis with atypical clinical presentation was performed to further support thepreviously noted efficacy and safety of this procedure. The results were as followings: 1. In case of acuteappendicitis with atypical clinical presentation, the use of barium enema as a diagnostic aid increased theaccuracy of diagnosis and decreased the negative surgical exploration. In women between 11 to 50 years old age,especially, it played important role differentiating appendicitis from nonsurgical acute abdomen. 2. The resultsof the study were 92.31% in sensitivity, 7.69% in false positive, 6.9% in false negative, and 10.26% in negativeappendectomy. 4. A simple partial or nonfilling of appendix without other associated possitive finding could notexclude appendicitis, therefore, close clinial observation was necessary. 5. The positive findings of barium enemaand their sensitivity were as followings: 1. Nonfilling of appendix: 9% 2. Partial filling of appendix: 91.7% 3.Displacement or a local impression on temrinal ileum: 100% *, In all cases, combined with a local impression oncecum and/or irritability of cecum or terminal ileum.
Abdomen ; Abdomen, Acute ; Appendicitis ; Appendix ; Barium ; Cecum ; Diagnosis ; Enema ; Female ; Humans ; Ileum

BACKGROUND: Family physicians should actively carry out adult immunization. DM is a common risk factor of influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia related complications, so DM patients should receive influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations. The authors investigated recognition and performance of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination among DM patients. METHODS: We surveyed knowledge and performance of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination among the 203 diabetic patients living in Seoul and responding to telephone interview, who visited one DM center in general hospital from March 3, to March 7, 1997. RESULTS: Among 203 DM patients, the risk factors for influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia other than DM were old age of 65 or over(35.0%), cardiovascular diseases(5.9%) and chronic pulmonary diseases(4.9%). The recognition rate and performance rate of influenza vaccination were 27.6% and 21.2% respectively, there was a statistically significant relationship between these rates(P<0.01). Those vaccinated 43 patients for influenza knew the need of vaccination through family members and relatives(58.1%) and through medical doctors(32.6%). Although 85.2% of 203 DM patients answered that they received education about need of vaccination through DM education program conducted at hospitals, but only 9 patients(4.4%) recognized well. The reasons for not performing influenza vaccination were lack of knowledge(63.1%), no experience of influenza(12.5%), 'forget for the moment(5.0%) and regard injection as a nuisance(2.5%) in descending order. The recognition rate and performance rate of of pneurnococcal vaccination were all zero percents. The reasons for not performing pneumococcal vaccination were lack of knowledge(91.1%) no experience of pneumococcal pneumonia(6.4%), regard injection as a nuisance(1.5%) and forget for the moment(1.0%) in descending order. CONCLUSIONS: The recognition and performance rates of influenza vaccination were low and those of pneumococcal vaccination were all zero percents among DM patients because they did not recognize well the need of these vaccinations. Therefore, the doctors who see DM patients should actively recommend influenza and pneumococcal vaccination and DM educational programs must include education for these vaccinations.
Adult ; Education ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Immunization ; Influenza, Human* ; Interviews as Topic ; Physicians, Family ; Pneumonia, Pneumococcal ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Vaccination*

BACKGROUND: In 1996, our emergency department(ED) had 148.4 patients per day and an average time for managing simple and uncomplicated patients was 248 minutes. To relieve congestion, delay and conflict in ED, we have developed Fast Track to treat patients with minor illness rapidly and effectively. The Fast Track area is located in a separate area in front to the main department. The efficiency and effectiveness of new system and patients satisfaction were investigated. METHODS: All ambulatory patients(> 15 years of age) were triaged and treated at Fast Track by emergency physicians. Patients, triaged as severe illness, were moved directly to main ED and the other patients with minor illness were managed in Fast Track. We analysed the patients who were managed at Fast Track from Jan. 1st 1997 through Nov. 30th 1997. The total time staying in Fast Track from beginning of trige to final decision such as discharge or admission was recorded retrospectively. A questionnaire was obtained from random patients in the same period to evaluate the patient's satisfaction. RESULTS: The number of patients who were managed in Fast Track was 13,378, and it was 55.8% of all adult patients who visited ED during the period. The average staying time was decreased significantly with time, (140.9+/-2.9 minutes in June, 125.4+/-2.8 minutes in July, and 97.7+/-1.0 minutes after July). The 75 percentile weighted average time was also decreased significantly; 196 minutes in June, 107 minutes in July, 135 minutes from August to November(p<0.01). The questionnaire were obtained from 107 patients. The results were revealed that 90 of 107 patients(84.1%) were satisfied with emergency care at Fast Track, and the remaining patients expressed unsatisfied comments such as long waiting time(4.7%), overcrowding(1.9%), unsatisfactory care(1.9%). CONCLUSION: The Fast Track system could decrease patient's staying time and improve patient's satisfaction. In addition, the efficiency and effectiveness of the acute care in ED would be enhanced by managing minor illness in Fast Track rapidly and effectively.
Adult ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers*

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationships between objective obesity, subjective obesity, body attitudes and dieting among college women. METHOD: The convenience sample consisted of 531 women. BMI was calculated based on self-reported weight and height. Body Attitudes Questionnaire (BAQ) was used to evaluate attitude toward women's body. RESULT: BMI mean score was 19.75. Based on BMI, 84.2 percent of the subjects were in a normal weight range and 0.9 percent of the subjects were obese. However, 26.9 percent of the subjects evaluated themselves as obese. Forty-one percent of the subjects were on a diet to reduce thier body weight. Body attitudes were associated with BMI and subjective obesity. BMI of the dieters was higher than that of the subjects who were not on a diet. Subjective obesity was associated with dieting. BAQ subscales except 'attractiveness' were associated with dieting. CONCLUSION: Many subjects were on a diet since they wanted to be thinner. Body attitudes were associated with dieting. Therefore, proper education is needed in weight management for young adult women.
Body Weight ; Diet* ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Obesity ; Young Adult

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of loneliness on drinking, smoking, and health perception(symptom pattern & subjective health) in college students. The convenience sample consisted of 417 college students attending four universities. The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale(RULS) and the Symptom Pattern Scale were used to collect the data. In this study, 84.7% of the subjects used alcohol, with a mean of 5.52 drinks per week, and 32.9% of the subjects smoked for a mean of 5.08 cigarette packs per week during the previous month. The mean score loneliness measured by the RULS was 40.82, indicating that the subjects were moderately lonely. The majority of the subjects had a low level of symptom pattern and evaluated their health as either very good or good. The level of alcohol drinking and the smoking increased and symptom pattern decreased with age. Female students were lonelier than male students in this study. Also, the female students had a lower level of symptom pattern and evaluated their health worse than the male students. Male students consumed more alcohol and smoked more cigarette than female students. Living arrangement was significantly related to the level of loneliness. The subjects who lived with their parents and siblings were less lonely than those who lived with their friends, or relatives or who lived in a dormitory. Age and religion were not related to the level of loneliness. The level of loneliness influenced drinking, symptom pattern, and subjective health. The study found that subjects who were more lonely consumed alcohol less, had a higher level of symptom pattern, and perceived their health worse than those who were less lonely. Smoking was not influenced by loneliness in this study.
Alcohol Drinking* ; Drinking ; Female ; Friends ; Humans ; Loneliness* ; Male ; Parents ; Residence Characteristics ; Siblings ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Tobacco Products

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of loneliness on drinking, smoking, and health perception(symptom pattern & subjective health) in college students. The convenience sample consisted of 417 college students attending four universities. The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale(RULS) and the Symptom Pattern Scale were used to collect the data. In this study, 84.7% of the subjects used alcohol, with a mean of 5.52 drinks per week, and 32.9% of the subjects smoked for a mean of 5.08 cigarette packs per week during the previous month. The mean score loneliness measured by the RULS was 40.82, indicating that the subjects were moderately lonely. The majority of the subjects had a low level of symptom pattern and evaluated their health as either very good or good. The level of alcohol drinking and the smoking increased and symptom pattern decreased with age. Female students were lonelier than male students in this study. Also, the female students had a lower level of symptom pattern and evaluated their health worse than the male students. Male students consumed more alcohol and smoked more cigarette than female students. Living arrangement was significantly related to the level of loneliness. The subjects who lived with their parents and siblings were less lonely than those who lived with their friends, or relatives or who lived in a dormitory. Age and religion were not related to the level of loneliness. The level of loneliness influenced drinking, symptom pattern, and subjective health. The study found that subjects who were more lonely consumed alcohol less, had a higher level of symptom pattern, and perceived their health worse than those who were less lonely. Smoking was not influenced by loneliness in this study.
Alcohol Drinking* ; Drinking ; Female ; Friends ; Humans ; Loneliness* ; Male ; Parents ; Residence Characteristics ; Siblings ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Tobacco Products

No abstract available.
Echocardiography*