This longitudinal study examines the burdens and related factors for stroke patient's primary family caregivers. Sixty-one patients treated for stroke at a general hospital in Chung-nam province and family member caregivers participated in this study from July 28, 1998 to August 1, 1999. Family caregivers' burdens were assessed by the burden scale originally developed by Zarit(1980) and Novak &Geust(1989) and modified by Oh's(1993) for use in Korea. The burden scale instrument consists of five subscales.: financial burden, social burden, physical burden, dependency burden, and emotional burden. Repeated ANOVA and Stepwise multiple regression were used in the data analyses. The results were as follows: The burden mean score was 3.23 in the hospital, 3.26 after hospital release, and 3.27 in the home environment. In the hospital, a patient's degree of cognition, and social support for family caregivers were significant factors affecting the sense of burden felt by family caregivers. After hospital release, the significant factors affecting the sense of burden were the degree to which stroke patients could participate in daily living activities, social support for family caregivers, and changing to a second caregiver. In the home environment, the most significant factor affecting the sense of burden was social support for family caregivers.
Activities of Daily Living ; Caregivers* ; Cognition ; Dependency (Psychology) ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Longitudinal Studies* ; Statistics as Topic ; Stroke*

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status of liver transplantation (LT) recipients and explore certain factors that influence nutritional status, including dietary patterns and physical activities. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. The subjects included 211 LT recipients at a medical center outpatient clinic located in Seoul, Korea. The nutritional status, dietary patterns, and physical activities of each subject were measured using the body mass index (BMI), Mini Dietary Assessment (MDA), and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The percentages of living and deceased donor LTs were 81.0% and 19.0%, respectively. The mean BMIs pre- and post-LT were 23.88 and 23.16 kg/m2, respectively, and the average MDA score was 36.55. More than 60.0% of the subjects had a moderate or high level of physical activity. In multivariate analysis, a higher BMI before LT (β=.72, p<.001), a lower Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (β=−.18, p<.001), and being male (β=−.10, p=.024) contributed to better nutritional status post-LT. Patients within six months of LT were less engaged in muscle exercises than those post six months of LT (p=.020). CONCLUSION: LT recipients in Korea have good nutritional status and a good level of physical activity. To improve recipients' post-LT nutritional status, the pre-LT nutritional status should be considered, particularly in those with a higher MELD score. In addition, physical activity including muscle-strengthening exercises should be encouraged from an earlier stage.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Body Mass Index ; Exercise ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation ; Liver ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nutritional Status ; Seoul ; Tissue Donors ; Transplant Recipients

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify associations among the sleep disturbance, fatigue, job stress, and blood and body fluid (BBF) exposure of shift-work nurses. METHODS: A total of 299 shift-work nurses from two tertiary hospitals were enrolled in this study. We used the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form (KOSS-SF) to evaluate sleep disturbance, fatigue, and job stress, respectively. The data were analyzed using t-test or chi-squared test and Logistic regression analysis using the SPSS 23.0 program. RESULTS: We found that 43.8% of participants reported BBF exposure over the past year. Splash or exposure to broken skin of BBF were most frequent (56.9%), and followed by needlestick injuries (30.4%) and sharp injuries (12.8%). Age, hospital, working period, level of stress, sleep disturbance (ISI≥15), fatigue (FSS score≥4), job demand and organizational climate subset in KOSS-SF were significantly associated with BBF exposure in shift-work nurses. In multivariate analysis after adjusting age and hospital, the risk factors of BBF exposure in shift-work nurses were the level of stress and fatigue (FSS score≥4). CONCLUSION: Fatigue and job stress were related to BBF exposure in shift-work nurses. Our results suggest that management of sleep disturbance, fatigue, and high job stress in shift-work nurses is needed to reduce risk of BBF exposure.
Body Fluids ; Climate ; Fatigue ; Logistic Models ; Multivariate Analysis ; Needlestick Injuries ; Occupational Health ; Risk Factors ; Skin ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Tertiary Care Centers

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status of liver transplantation (LT) recipients and explore certain factors that influence nutritional status, including dietary patterns and physical activities. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. The subjects included 211 LT recipients at a medical center outpatient clinic located in Seoul, Korea. The nutritional status, dietary patterns, and physical activities of each subject were measured using the body mass index (BMI), Mini Dietary Assessment (MDA), and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The percentages of living and deceased donor LTs were 81.0% and 19.0%, respectively. The mean BMIs pre- and post-LT were 23.88 and 23.16 kg/m2, respectively, and the average MDA score was 36.55. More than 60.0% of the subjects had a moderate or high level of physical activity. In multivariate analysis, a higher BMI before LT (β=.72, p<.001), a lower Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (β=−.18, p<.001), and being male (β=−.10, p=.024) contributed to better nutritional status post-LT. Patients within six months of LT were less engaged in muscle exercises than those post six months of LT (p=.020). CONCLUSION LT recipients in Korea have good nutritional status and a good level of physical activity. To improve recipients' post-LT nutritional status, the pre-LT nutritional status should be considered, particularly in those with a higher MELD score. In addition, physical activity including muscle-strengthening exercises should be encouraged from an earlier stage.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify effects of a refresher program for inactive nurses on nursing professionalism and nursing clinical self-efficacy. METHODS: A pre-experimental design with one group pretest-posttest was used. The refresher program consisted of 150 hours and was provided to inactive nurses who were recruited from a refresher program at S institute. Eighty inactive nurses participated in the study. Data were collected between June and November 2009. To evaluate the effectiveness of the refresher program, researchers explored participants' nursing professionalism and nursing clinical self-efficacy through self-evaluation questionnaire before and after the refresher program. RESULTS: The refresher program was effective in increasing nursing clinical self-efficacy for inactive nurses (p<.001). However, no significant increase was found in nursing professionalism after completing the program. CONCLUSION: The refresher program had a positive impact on increasing the nursing clinical self-efficacy for inactive nurses.
Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sense of coherence (SOC) on occupational stress, psychosocial stress and quality of life (QOL) of nurses working in a hospital. METHODS: The participants were 401 nurses working in S hospital in Seoul. A stratified random sampling was performed for the all nurses in S hospital which were grouped by age and work unit. Data were collected by a self-report survey. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson correlations, multiple linear regressions, and ANOVA. RESULTS: This study showed nurses' occupational stress was at high risk and their psychosocial stress, at low risk. It also showed that those two types of stress are mutual predictors for each other and that SOC was a predictor for both types of stress. For QOL, SOC was also a predictor in SF-36 and MCS (Mental Component Summary). Therefore, SOC may be considered as a major controlling factor for stress and QOL. CONCLUSION: The results indicate the need to develop programs that enhances nurses' SOC, programs that could be utilized as an intervention to reduce nurses' stress and to promote nurses' QOL.
Linear Models ; Quality of Life ; Sense of Coherence ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: This study was to measure the quality of life(QOL) and to identify the related factors in gynecological cancer patients during chemotherapy. METHOD: The subjects of this study were the patients who had undergone a hysterectomy and were admitted for chemotherapy at S university hospital between November 2006 and April 2007. Data was collected from 106 gynecological cancer patients with the use of a structured questionnaire which measured the QOL(FACT-G), body image, the presence of anxiety & depression, uncertainty, and family support. The data was analyzed by the SPSS win 12.0 program. RESULTS: The mean FACT-total score was 62.1(+/-16.7) (range; 26-107). Positive correlations were found between QOL and body image(r= .67, p= .00), and QOL and family support(r= .32, p= .00), whereas there were negative correlations between QOL and anxiety(r= -.54, p= .00), QOL and depression(r= -.70, p= .00), and QOL and uncertainty(r= -.59, p= .00). Fifty seven precent of the variance in subjective overall QOL can be explained by depression, body image, and uncertainty(Adj R2= .57, F=47.00, p= .00). CONCLUSION: Our patients had a relatively low QOL score. Factors significantly affecting quality of life were depression, body image and uncertainty. Nursing interventions, therefore, should be focused on improving QOL in gynecological cancer patients during chemotherapy, particularly so in patients with depression, uncertainty or poor body image.
Anxiety ; Body Image ; Depression ; Drug Therapy* ; Female ; Genital Neoplasms, Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Nursing ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Uncertainty

During acute stages of hospitalized stroke patients, family caregivers face many challenges. They often experience emotional distress. social isolation. and financial constraints. However. the burden of caregiving of stroke patients in acute stages has never been studied properly. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors related to the caregivers' burden with acute stroke. The subjects were 123 acute stroke patients and their caregivers who were admitted to neurology and neurosurgery units at Dan Kook University Hospital in Chung-Nam area. An interview was performed with the use of standardized questionnaire which included data pertaining to the patients/caregivers characteristics, caregiver burden (Modified Zarit's Burden Scale), and social support (Fersonal Resource Questionnaire). Our results showed that the mean burden score was 3,11. indicating high level of burden, Among the sub-domain scores, financial burder was the highest, In univariate analysis, the factors related to caregiver burdens were: inability to communicate between patients and caregiver (p<.001): low cognitive function of the patients(p<.001): low level of ADL(p<.001), the gender of caregiver(p<.001) the current employment status of caregivers(p<.01) the presence of social support for caregiver(p<.001), and the availability of alternative caregivers (p<.001). In multiple regression analysis, social support for family caregivers (87%), low level of patient's cognition (2%), availability of 2nd caregiver (1%). and gender of caregiver (female, 0,4%) were significant explanatory factors of overall burden, The caregivers' burden in acute stages during hospitalization following stroke was high, Recognition of high levels of caregivers' burden and those relating factors affecting caregiver burden may allow us to develop different nursing strategies to unload the level of burden for caregivers in acute stages of stroke.
Caregivers ; Cognition ; Employment ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Neurology ; Neurosurgery ; Nursing ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Social Isolation ; Stroke*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the stages of change in smoking cessation after a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft(CABG) and to identify the related factors. METHODS: The subjects (n=157) were patients who underwent a CABG in a university hospital from March 1998 to October 2005 and were smokers before the CABG. Data was collected viachart review and a telephone interview, and analyzed with descriptive statistics, Chi2 test, one-way ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis procedure by the SPSS/PC win 12.0 program. RESULTS: The subjects smoked for an average of 34 years (21 cigarettes per day) before surgery. Eleven percent of the subjects were in pre-contemplation, 6.4% in contemplation, 13.5% in preparation, 4.5% in action, and 64.5% in the maintenance stage. Nicotine dependence and selfefficacy were different among the groups with different stages of change in smoking cessation. Nicotine dependence was the lowest (p=0.00) and self-efficacy was the highest (p=0.00) in the maintenance stage. The number of subjects in pre-contemplation and contemplation significantly increased 6 years after surgery(p=0.05). CONCLUSIONS: To implement effective smoking cessation interventions for CABG patients, the intervention should be developed to accommodate individual readiness for smoking cessation, especially so for those who had a CABG more than 6 years previously.
Aged ; *Coronary Artery Bypass ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Education as Topic ; Regression Analysis ; Self Efficacy ; Smoking/prevention & control/*psychology ; Smoking Cessation/*methods ; Tobacco Use Disorder/prevention & control

PURPOSE: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) can cause severe malnutrition. However, relationships between CINV levels, non-pharmacological coping methods, and nutritional status of female cancer patients have rarely been investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze their relationships in gynecologic cancer patients. METHODS: Participants receiving a highly and moderately emetogenic chemotherapy were recruited. The level of CINV was assessed using a numeric rating scale. Coping methods were determined using multiple-choice self-report questionnaires and categorized into seven types for statistical analysis. Nutritional status was evaluated using biochemical and anthropometric parameters. RESULTS: Among all the 485 patients, 200 eligible inpatients were included. Despite the administration of prophylactic antiemetics, 157 patients (78.5%) still experienced CINV, and several used nonmedically recommended coping methods, such as just enduring the symptom or rejecting food intake. A total of 181 patients (90.5%) had nutritional disorders. Although the level of CINV was indirectly related to the occurrence of nutritional disorders, patients who rejected food (β=1.57, p=.023) and did not use physical measures (β= −1.23, p=.041) as coping methods were under the high risk of nutritional disorders. CONCLUSION: Korean gynecologic cancer patients had high levels of CINV and were at high risk of nutritional disorders, which may be related to the use of nonscientific coping methods, possibly due to cultural backgrounds and lack of proper nutritional program. Therefore, developing a culturally appropriate educational program for the cancer patients with CINV is urgently needed.
Antiemetics ; Child ; Drug Therapy ; Eating ; Female ; Genital Neoplasms, Female ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Malnutrition ; Methods* ; Nausea* ; Nutrition Disorders ; Nutritional Status* ; Vomiting*