BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate nurses' clinical competence and its relationship with perception of and compliance with standard precautions. METHODS: From January 12 to January 20, 2011, a total of 134 nurses working at a university hospital in Gyeonggi province completed a structured questionnaire on clinical competence and perception of and compliance with standard precautions. The data were analyzed with independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation analysis. RESULTS: The mean score for clinical competence was 3.53, and showed significant differences according to age, gender, education level, marital status, monthly income, and years of experience. The mean scores for perception of and compliance with standard precautions were 4.67 and 4.00 respectively. Perception of standard precautions showed a significant difference according to years of experience. There were significant positive correlations among clinical competence and perception (r=0.234, P=0.007), clinical competence and compliance (r=0.363, P<0.001), and perception and compliance (r=0.406, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: To improve nurses' compliance with standard precautions educational and administrative policies to improve clinical competence should be considered.
Clinical Competence ; Compliance ; Infection Control ; Marital Status

Allergic contact dermatitis is a prototype of delayed hypersensitivity reaction. Langerhans cells, keratinocytes and T lyrnphocytes play major roles in the pathogenesis of allergic contact dermatitis. We observed Langerhans cells and keratinocytes in contact sensitized epidermal sheets of mice and performed mixed epidermal cell lymphocytes reaction with normal epidermal cells and contact sensitized epidermal cells to determine the lymphocyte stimulating capacity of contact sensitized epidermal cell. We obtained following results : 1. The Langerhans cells were decreased in number and morphologically damaged in contact sensitized epidermis. 2. Ia antigen expression on keratinocytes was detected in almost all contact sensitized epidermal sheets. 3. The allogeneic lymphocyte stimulating capacity of contact sensitized epidermal cells was greater than that of normal epidermal cells. 4. The allogeneic lymphocyte stimulating capacity of contact sensitized epiderrnal cells was lost after treatment of epidermal cells with anti Ia antibody and complement. From these results, it is conceivable that the contact sensitized epidermal cells can amplify the immune reactions by stimulating the lynphocytes which are infiltrated in contact sensitized epidermis.
Animals ; Complement System Proteins ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Epidermis ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; Keratinocytes ; Langerhans Cells ; Lymphocytes ; Mice*

No abstract available.
Classification* ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Risk Factors*

Pigmented Bowen's disease (PBD) is a rare variant of Bowen's disease(BD). Most of the reported cases showed pigmented patches or thin plaques. Thus its clinical manifestations may simulated other various pigmented skin lesions. We experienced 2 cases of PBD in patients with multiple BD developed after taking Korean proprietary pills (KPP, "Hwan-Yak"), which were suspected to contain certain amount of arsenics. Both patients also showed arsenical keratosis on their palms and soles. The darker pigmentation of the PBL led us to differentiated them from melanoma.
Bowen's Disease* ; Humans ; Keratosis ; Melanoma ; Pigmentation ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Compliance with self-care and lifestyle modification is recommended for all patients with acute coronary syndrome to prevent a secondary attack. Data is limited regarding the association between compliance with self-care and restenosis. This study was conducted to examine the association between compliance with self-care and restenosis and to determine the predicting factors for restenosis and low compliance with self-care. METHODS: A total of 166 acute coronary syndrome patients (64.2+/-10.8 years) hospitalized for an angiogram during routine follow-up or symptom management were conveniently recruited from a university hospital cardiovascular care unit. Self-administered questionnaires were used to evaluate the level of compliance with self-care and symptom-related satisfaction. RESULTS: In-stent restenosis was found in 40.4% of the subjects and 36.1% were persistently smoking. There was no significant relationship between low compliance with self-care and restensosis. A lower symptom-related satisfaction significantly predicted restenosis and low compliance with self-care. A longer period after initial diagnosis predicted restenosis and a shorter period after initial diagnosis predicted low compliance with self-care. Persistent smoking was independently associated with low compliance with self-care. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who continued to smoke and had lower symptom-related satisfaction with daily living showed a stronger tendency for lower compliance with self-care and lifestyle modification. Effective educational strategy focusing on smoking cessation is needed to increase compliance with self-care in patients with ACS, especially during admission with a first heart attack.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Compliance ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Humans ; Life Style ; Patient Compliance ; Self Care ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Endometriosis* ; Female

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a risk factoretailored small group education on anxiety and depressive symptoms, self-efficacy and self-care compliance in patients with first-time acute coronary syndrome (ACS) for 12-month follow-up. METHODS: A quasi-experimental pretest and post-test design was used. Patients were recruited from a national university hospital from 2010 to 2011 in Korea. The group education consisted of a 60-minute long video developed using multimedia contents including voice-recorded texts, flash animation, and video clips, with nurses' dialogue. The intervention group (n = 34) participated in group education using the multimedia video in a small group of patients with similar risk factors, and received periodic telephone counseling and text messages. The control group (n = 40) received usual care and counseling upon request. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms decreased, and self-efficacy and self-care compliance in the areas of medication, exercise, and healthy diet practice significantly increased in patients in the intervention group, compared with those in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factoretailored small group education and periodic text message were an effective strategy for decreasing depression, and increasing self-efficacy and long-term compliance with lifestyle changes in patients with first-time ACS. We suggested that risk factoretailored small group education need to be given for first-time ACS patients for psychological support and behavioral change in clinical practice. It is also comparable to individual approach to encourage psychological and behavioral change.
Acute Coronary Syndrome/*nursing/*psychology ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Multimedia ; *Patient Education as Topic ; Patient-Centered Care/methods ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Self Care/*methods ; Self Efficacy ; Stress, Psychological/*nursing ; Teaching/*methods

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the level of knowledge of stroke and heart attack (HA) symptoms and risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in rural elderly people who are at risk for CVD. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 444 adults over the age of 60 living in a rural province of Korea with at least one CVD risk factor participated in this survey. RESULTS: A total of 72.5% of the participants had hypertension and 28.4% had diabetes, whereas approximately 40% exhibited over two CVD risk factors. The mean knowledge scores for HA symptoms (4.3/9) were lower than scores for stroke symptoms (5.8/9), and the mean knowledge score for risk factors was 7.3/11. Stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that old age, low level of education, and low income level were the determining factors for low knowledge levels of stroke and HA symptoms as well as CVD risk factors. A low perceived risk of stroke or HAs also predicted a low knowledge of CVD risk factors. CONCLUSION: Community-wide public campaigns are needed, which are designed to help elderly people in rural areas with low education levels and socioeconomic status at risk for CVD to improve the awareness of stroke and HA.
Adult ; Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Risk Factors ; Social Class ; Stroke ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: p53 gene mutations, one of the most common alterations found in human tumors, has also been detected in gastric carcinoma, and shown to have a crucial and early role in gastric carcinogenesis of intestinal type and mainly associated with tumor progression in the cancer of diffuse type. We tried to investigate the frequency of p53 mutations in 27 gastric carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fresh tumor tissue from a series of gastric carcinoma was screened for p53 mutations by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) with silver staining and confirmed by direct-sequencing in 27 cases of gastric carcinoma. Immunohistochemical method for p53 protein accumulation was also performed in the same cases. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry revealed 20 of 27 cases of gastric carcinoma, positive for p53. PCR-SSCP analysis of p53 exons 5-8 detected mobility shift in 4 out of 20 p53-positive tumors; three from exon 5 and the other from exon 7, respectively. DNA sequencing of exon 5 showed CGC to CAC point mutation in one of three cases; exon 7, ATC to AAC point mutation. It seemed that there was no correlation between genetic alterations of p53 gene detected by PCR-SSCP and expression of p53 protein by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSIOAS: Our results suggest that mutations of the p53 gene are rare genetic events in carcinogenesis of gastric carcinomas. There was discrepancy between mutations screened by PCR-SSCP and overexpressions in immunohistochemical staining.
Carcinogenesis ; Exons ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational* ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Silver Staining

PURPOSE: This descriptive study was conducted to identify the level of knowledge of stroke symptoms and risk factors among older adults. METHODS: A total of 200 older adults over 65 years of age were conveniently recruited from out patient departments of two hospitals and a health care center from October to November 2008. The level of knowledge was assessed using both open-ended questions and a structured questionnaire based on semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed by t-tests and ANOVA using the SPSS program. RESULTS: 52.5% of the sample had hypertension and 30% had diabetes. The mean knowledge scores for symptoms and risk factors were 8.4 +/- 3.1(out of 15) and 9.5 +/- 3.9 (out of 16), respectively. The older adults who had lower education, lower family income, and who lived in rural areas were more likely to have less knowledge of stroke symptom and risk factors(p < .05). There was no significant knowledge difference between the older adults who had at least one risk factor and those who had no risk factor for stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Educational intervention should be focused on informing older adults who are at risk for stroke about the early symptoms and management of risk factors, especially those who have low education and low social status.
Adult ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; Surveys and Questionnaires