PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of a stress relief program on burden, anxiety, depression and stress response in family members of patients with mental illness. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent comparison group pretest and posttest design was used. Participants were family members of patients with mental illness at a mental health center in C city (15 in the experimental group and 17 in the comparison group). The program was provided for 90-100 minutes/session once a week, for 8 weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi2-test and Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: After a stress relief program, we found statistically significant decreases in burden, depression and stress response for the experimental group. But there was no significant decrease in anxiety. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that stress relief program combining disease education and therapeutic recreation could reduce burden, depression and stress response in family members of patients with mental illness.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Recreation

Human behaviors are related to either life or death instincts. A sexual instinct or sex drive is an indispensable element to both procreation and recreation. Instead of enjoying sexual expression to the full, people control or suppress the sexual expression only inside their conjugal relations as they were educated or cultivated. However, the suppression of sexual gratification leads to various kinds of substitute gratification. In other words, people want more sexual expression as a reaction against suppression. Due to suppression, the strength of the sexual instinct probably varies in each individual. In the traditional society, the sexual instinct is very powerful in men and comparatively weak in women. Both social constructionism and essentialism are rival approaches to the gender differences, but Baumeister introduced four theories about cultural suppression of female sexuality. According to him, most research findings fit the female conspiracy theory a little better than the other theories. While Baumeister pointed out that a woman's sex drive naturally fluctuates over the years, he proposed that the female drive is more malleable than the male drive in response to socio-cultural and situational factors.
Female ; Humans ; Instinct ; Male ; Recreation ; Sexuality

Human behaviors are related to either life or death instincts. A sexual instinct or sex drive is an indispensable element to both procreation and recreation. Instead of enjoying sexual expression to the full, people control or suppress the sexual expression only inside their conjugal relations as they were educated or cultivated. However, the suppression of sexual gratification leads to various kinds of substitute gratification. In other words, people want more sexual expression as a reaction against suppression. Due to suppression, the strength of the sexual instinct probably varies in each individual. In the traditional society, the sexual instinct is very powerful in men and comparatively weak in women. Both social constructionism and essentialism are rival approaches to the gender differences, but Baumeister introduced four theories about cultural suppression of female sexuality. According to him, most research findings fit the female conspiracy theory a little better than the other theories. While Baumeister pointed out that a woman's sex drive naturally fluctuates over the years, he proposed that the female drive is more malleable than the male drive in response to socio-cultural and situational factors.
Female ; Humans ; Instinct ; Male ; Recreation ; Sexuality

Cordyceps militaris specimens were continuously collected by Entomopathogenic Fungal Culture Collection (EFCC), Kangwon National University from different mountains, national parks and recreation parks of Korea from 1986 to 2002, mainly from late May to October of each year. Dry specimens of C. militaris along with their isolates have been preserved in EFCC. Fruiting of C. militaris was induced from single ascospore isolates as well as their combinations in brown rice medium. Fruiting experiments showed that combinations of single ascospore isolates produced fertile fruiting bodies, but single isolates could not produce any fruiting bodies. It was shown that two isolates of the opposite mating types were required to produce fertile stromata. However, combinations of the same mating type isolates produced no fruiting body, showing that C. militaris is a bipolar, heterothallic fungus.
Cordyceps* ; Fruit* ; Fungi ; Gangwon-do ; Korea* ; Recreation

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the effects of a recreation therapy program on burn rehabilitation patients to determine if the program is an effective nursing intervention which can affect mental health problems and heart rate variability. METHODS: Subjects were 54 hospitalized burn rehabilitation patients (25 in the control group, 29 in the experimental group). The experimental group participated 6 times in a recreation therapy program led by a qualified instructor. Brief symptoms inventory-18 (somatization, anxiety, depression) questionnaire, and heart rate variability were checked before and after the recreation therapy program. RESULTS: The mental health scale showed significant differences in somatization (p<.001), anxiety (p<.001) and depression (p<.001). There was no significant difference in heart rate variability (autonomic activity, autonomic balance, stress resistance, stress parameter and fatigue, mean heart rate, electro-cardiac stability). CONCLUSION: The findings from this study suggest that a recreation therapy program is an effective nursing intervention to decrease the level of mental health problems of burn rehabilitation patients. However, a subsequent study is needed to develop an intervention program that will induce the effect of physiological parameters like heart rate variability (HRV).
Anxiety ; Burns* ; Depression ; Fatigue ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Mental Health* ; Nursing ; Recreation Therapy* ; Recreation* ; Rehabilitation*

BACKGROUND: It is important to educate families of pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) so that they have a correct understanding of AD. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to introduce, evaluate, and improve our family-engaged educational program. METHODS: Children suffering from AD and their families have participated in a half-day educational program called "AD school" with catchy slogans such as "Enjoy with AD Families!" every year since 2005. Educational lectures were conducted for parents. For children with AD, various entertaining programs were provided. A feedback survey about AD school was administered for the purpose of evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 827 people (376 patients and 451 family members) participated in this program over 7 years. On-site surveys showed a positive response (i.e., "excellent" or "good") for the prick test (95.1%), emollient education (78.4%), educational lecture (97.0%), drawing contest and games (90.2%), and recreation (magic show; 99.0%) respectively. Telephone surveys one year later also elicited a positive response. CONCLUSION: We herein introduce the experience of a half-day, family-engaged educational program for AD. Family-engaged education programs for AD such as this AD school encourage and validate family participation in the treatment of their children's AD.
Child ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Education ; Humans ; Korea* ; Lectures ; Parents ; Recreation ; Telephone

PURPOSE:This study was undertaken to announce our experience of the 1st Daegu- Gyeongbuk Multicenter Epilepsy Camp for children and their parents to improve the understanding of epilepsy. METHODS:We held the camp on February 25th to 26th, 2006 at Gyeongju. 33 families with epileptic childlend joined the camp. At the end of the camp, we performed a survey with 37 questionnaires to obtain data concerning the parents' understanding of epilepsy and the satisfaction with the camp. Data was analyzed with SPSS 10.0 program using frequency analysis. RESULTS:Parents knew about epilepsy but for some degrel still wanted to get more information about epilepsy. Parents were satisfied with the educational programs but not with the recreation programs. CONCLUSION:This study suggests that more social approaches such as an epilepsy camp is needed to provide the families with more information fot the understanding about epilepsy.
Child* ; Epilepsy* ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Parents* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Recreation

Hearing ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Noise ; Recreation

PURPOSE: The purpose of this preliminary study was to develop and evaluate the effects of East-West Self-help program for Rehabilitation of post-stroke clients. METHOD: This program is developed through literature review, survey and seminar. The program is consisted of six sessions twice a week for 6 weeks. This program is composed of health education on stroke, exercise, oriental nursing interventions, and therapeutic recreation. The outcomes have been evaluated on the basis of perceived health status, self-efficacy, U/E function, ADLs and subjective response. RESULTS: 1) After the 6 week program, the perceived health status had improved and the score of rehabilitation self-efficacy increased significantly. 2) After the 6 week program, the score of BADL increased significantly, but, the score of IADL was not statistically significant. 3) After the 6 week program, the amount of use and quality of movement of the affected U/E were increased significantly. 4) All of the participants showed satisfaction with this program. CONCLUSION: Considering these research results, the program is effective in improving functional abilities and self-management ability. Therefore this program could be continuously developed and implemented as a community based self-helf group program for post-stroke clients.
Activities of Daily Living ; Health Education ; Nursing ; Recreation ; Rehabilitation* ; Self Care ; Self-Help Groups* ; Stroke

PURPOSE: The purpose of this preliminary study was to develop and evaluate the effects of East-West Self-help program for Rehabilitation of post-stroke clients. METHOD: This program is developed through literature review, survey and seminar. The program is consisted of six sessions twice a week for 6 weeks. This program is composed of health education on stroke, exercise, oriental nursing interventions, and therapeutic recreation. The outcomes have been evaluated on the basis of perceived health status, self-efficacy, U/E function, ADLs and subjective response. RESULTS: 1) After the 6 week program, the perceived health status had improved and the score of rehabilitation self-efficacy increased significantly. 2) After the 6 week program, the score of BADL increased significantly, but, the score of IADL was not statistically significant. 3) After the 6 week program, the amount of use and quality of movement of the affected U/E were increased significantly. 4) All of the participants showed satisfaction with this program. CONCLUSION: Considering these research results, the program is effective in improving functional abilities and self-management ability. Therefore this program could be continuously developed and implemented as a community based self-helf group program for post-stroke clients.
Activities of Daily Living ; Health Education ; Nursing ; Recreation ; Rehabilitation* ; Self Care ; Self-Help Groups* ; Stroke