PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the pattern and factors associated with women's use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) during postpartum in Korea. METHODS: With a descriptive survey design, data of 423 postpartum women were collected via online and offline surveys. RESULTS: A total of 251 women (59.3%) reported CAM use during postpartum. Eating animal-based foods (65.3%), plant-based health foods (52.2%), and using oriental medicine (31.8%) were commonly used in postpartum women. The reason for using CAM were physical recovery (39.1%), breastfeeding (29.7%), weight loss (24.8%), prevention of postpartum complications (5.1%), and others (1.3%). People who recommended CAM use was mainly family (41.3%), and expense of using CAM was 751,188 Korea won. Most women discussed CAM use with doctor (44.9%), and 29.3% of women didn't even consult CAM use with health care providers. Most of (72.3%) women were satisfied with CAM use. Higher level of education and monthly income, being employed, primipara, normal range of gestational weight gain, no abortion experience, and no maternal complication were significantly associated with CAM use in postpartum women. CONCLUSION: Results of this study were somewhat different from those of western research. Findings offer baseline data of CAM use in postpartum women, and health care providers need to understand it when they care for them.
Breast Feeding ; Complementary Therapies* ; Eating ; Education ; Female ; Food, Organic ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Korea ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Postpartum Period* ; Reference Values ; Weight Gain ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to provide essential resources on various evaluation strategies by identifying relationships between professor-evaluation, peer-evaluation, and self-evaluation of the core basic nursing skills in nursing students. METHODS: Forty third-year nursing students who participated in core basic nursing skills were given the same checklist that was used for assessment by the examiners. Then, the scores of the professor and the students were compared and analyzed with SPSS/WIN 18.0. RESULTS: The scores of the student peer (178.54) and student self-evaluation(177.74) was significantly higher than the scores of professor-evaluation (172.05),(F=5.03, p=.008). There was a significant, positive correlation between the professor-evaluation and the student-peer-evaluation in skill-scores(r=.47, p=.002) and attitude-scores(r=.52, p<.001). In addition, the professor-evaluation and the self-evaluation each showed a significant, positive correlation in skill-scores(r=.61, p<.001) and attitude-scores(r=.36, p=.023). CONCLUSION: The study result indicates that in order to expand the evaluation method, the professor evaluation, as well as the student self and the peer evaluation, will contribute to improve the educational achievement of learners.
Checklist ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Education* ; Education, Nursing ; Educational Status ; Humans ; Nursing* ; Students, Nursing*

PURPOSE: This study investigated prediction of North Korean refugees' adaptation to the South Korean society and verified the goodness of fit between a hypothetical model and actual data in order to suggest the best model. METHODS: This survey was conducted with 445 North Korean refugees living in a metropolitan area. Data were collected from September 1st to November 20th, 2012, and analyzed using SPSS Windows 18.0 and AMOS 17.0. RESULTS: Traumatic experiences of North Korean refugees increased self-efficacy and psychological trauma. Acculturation stress decreased self-efficacy and increased passive coping. Self-efficacy affected active and passive coping, decreased psychological trauma, and increased resilience. Resilience is successful adaptation and refers to North Korean refugees' abilities to adapt effectively to stress. In particular, self-efficacy as the main parameter affecting resilience was confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that resilience can be improved through self-efficacy. It was the most significant factor decreasing psychological trauma and increasing resilience. Therefore, we need to develop programs for self-efficacy. The results also provide basic data for policy making for North Korean refugees.
Acculturation ; Adaptation, Psychological/*physiology ; Adult ; Aged ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea/ethnology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Theoretical ; Personal Satisfaction ; Psychological Trauma/*ethnology ; Refugees/*psychology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Resilience, Psychological ; Self Efficacy ; Young Adult

Purpose: This descriptive correlation study was conducted to investigate factors affecting the absence of adult workers according to their gender. Methods: Secondary data analysis was carried out using data from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey. Data on respondents’ demographic characteristics, working conditions, health status, and absence were analyzed; a descriptive analysis, x 2 -test, t-test, and logistic regression analysis were carried out. Results: The factors that had the greatest impact on male workers' absence from work were service workers (2.74 times; B=.99), having more than 53 hours of work per week (1.17 times; B=.52), and when subjective health conditions were not satisfied (2.27 times; B=.82), whereas the factors that affected female workers' absence the most were a monthly income of 3 million won or more (2.74 times; B=1.34), a weekly work time of 53 hours (2.02 times; B=.71), and having a fewer number of sleep disorders (B=-.36). Conclusion This study suggests that not only the national interest should be considered in investigating the factors affecting absence but also the enterprise. Systematic support for the health care of workers is also needed.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Korean Version of the Grit (Grit-K) scale for nursing students in Korea. Methods: The participants in the study were 277 nursing students. Their grit was verified by using self-reports and the results of a questionnaire. Grit was translated into Korean and its content validity was verified by five experts. The validity of the instrument was verified through item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability verification was analyzed by using internal consistency reliability. Results: Two factors were identified through exploratory factor analysis and six items of the original instrument were found to be valid. In the confirmatory factor analysis, the validity of the instrument was verified as the model. The internal consistency reliability was also acceptable and Grit was found to be an applicable instrument. Conclusion This study shows that the Korean Version of the Grit Questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument to assess nursing students in Korea.

Purpose: In this study the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the bullying (bullying-K) measure for nurses in Korea was investigated. Methods: Participants included 392 nurses from general hospitals with over 300 beds in Korea and was carried out for 2 months in the form of self reporting questionnaires. In this study the content validity, construct validity, concurrent validity and reliability were verified using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 20.0. Results: The Korean version of the bullying measurement which is comprised of six factors, with a total of 37 questions that include eleven regarding attacks towards showing oneself and communication, eight regarding effects on psychology and fatigue, eight regarding effects of the organization and management, five regarding attacks towards personal and professional relationships, two regarding effects on health and three regarding effects on social relationships. The Korean version of the bullying measurement was validated by confirmatory factor analysis (x2 /df=2.90, CFI=.90, GFI=.85, NFI=.86, RMR=.06, RMSEA=.06, TLI=.89). Furthermore, the reliability verification showed Cronbach's ⍺= .85, confirming that the Korean version of the tool in this study was very reliable. Conclusion This study showed that the Korean version of the bullying measurement is a valid and reliable instrument to assess nurses in Korea.

Background: Although the orofacial-function improvement exercise (OFIE; oral exercise) was first introduced in Korea 10 years prior, it is still not covered by medical insurance, and no detailed survey on the dissemination of related programs has been conducted. Therefore, this study investigated the actual status of the education and practice of OFIE among the elderly and at elderly welfare institutions in the Seoul and Gyeonggi Provinces. Methods: Senior citizens aged more than 65 years old, public health centers (total of 69) and elderly welfare institutions (including nursing homes and elderly welfare centers, total of 56) per administrative area in the Seoul and Gyeonggi Provinces were targeted. We analyzed 200 elderly people and 93 institutions who agreed to participate in the survey. For the elderly, general characteristics, experience and route, current practice, and necessity regarding OFIE were investigated. For institutions, the history and plan of education programs on OFIE were investigated. Results: Regardless of the general characteristics, both the rate of experience and practice for OFIE were low overall; moreover, although they felt it was necessary, they had insufficient motivation for its implementation. Moreover, only a few institutions which were operating the education about OFIE regardless of the COVID-19 situation. Conclusion Although OFIE is necessary for the elderly, its distribution remains insufficient. Therefore, further efforts are needed to expand the education and raise the awareness of oral exercise among elderly individuals and senior welfare institutions.

Background: Recent studies have shown that oral administration of probiotics may improve the immune imbalance caused by dysbiosis of the gut microbiome in atopic dermatitis (AD). This study aimed to investigate the clinical and immunological effects of Lactobacillus pentosus in children with mild to moderate AD. Methods: Children aged 2–13 years with AD were randomized to receive either 1.0 × 1010 colony-forming units of L. pentosus or placebo, daily, for 12 weeks. The clinical severity of AD and transepidermal water loss were evaluated. Blood eosinophil counts, serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE), and cytokine levels were measured. The diversity and composition of the gut microbiota were also analyzed. Results: Eighty-two children were recruited, and 41 were assigned to the probiotics intervention group. The mean scoring of atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) indices at baseline were 30.4 and 34.3 for the probiotics and placebo groups, respectively. At week 12, the mean indices were 23.6 and 23.1 for the probiotics and placebo groups, respectively. Clinical severity decreased significantly over time in both groups, with no significant difference between the two groups. In both groups, there were no significant differences in cytokine levels, microbial diversity, or the relative abundance of the gut microbiota at week 12 compared with the corresponding baseline values. The mean subjective scores of SCORAD indices after intervention for the probiotics group were significantly lower than those for the placebo group in IgE sensitized AD (P = 0.019). Conclusion Our results show improved symptoms in the probiotics and placebo groups, and we could not find additional effects of L. pentosus in AD. However, the mean subjective scores of SCORAD indices for the probiotics group are significantly improved compared with those for the placebo group in allergen-sensitized AD.

PURPOSE: Acute pyelonephritis in children may result in permanant renal damage which later in life may lead to hypertension and renal failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors that might be useful for predicting the development of renal scar in children with urinary tract infection(UTI). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 442 patients with UTI who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of Chonbuk National University Hospital, during the period from April 1992 to March 2002. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of renal scar on the follow-up DMSA renal scan, and we compared the factors associated with renal scarring between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in sex, causative organism and acute phase reactants between the groups with and without renal scar. The age at diagnosis was significantly higher in the renal scar group compared to that without scar. Of the 60 patients with renal scar, 78% had vesicoureteral reflux(VUR), but 13% of patients without scar had VUR. Furthermore, the severity of VUR was significantly correlated with renal scar formation. 53 % showed multiple cortical defects on the initial DMSA renal scan, compared to 32% in the non-scar group. In addition, 76% of patients showing multiple cortical defects on the initial DMSA renal scan with VUR had renal scar. CONCLUSION: The presence and grade of VUR, and findings on the initial DMSA renal scan would contribute to predict risk of renal scar formation in children with UTI.
Acute-Phase Proteins ; Child ; Cicatrix* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Jeollabuk-do ; Pediatrics ; Pyelonephritis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Succimer ; Urinary Tract ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux*

Previous studies have shown that patient-controlled analgesia(PCA) provides effective pain control in the postoperative patient. To compare the effect of pain relief on postoperative sympathetic responses and myocardial oxygen consumption, 40 healthy female patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy were chosen randomly. They underwent pain management with either intravenous patient-controlled analgesia(IV PCA) or intermittent intramuscular opioid(IM P.R.N) regimen. Pain intensity(VAS), heart rate, blood pressure, and rate pressure product(RPP) were measured at predetermined time intervals for postoperative 72 hours after measurement of preoperative baseline values. Comparisons were then made between the two groups and among individuals within each group. IV-PCA improved postoperative pain relief(P<0.05), but did not suppress efficiently the heart rate, blood pressure, and RPP indicating sympathetic responses and myocardial oxygen consumption when compared with M P.R.N regimen. These variables were increased immediately and/or 30 minutes following the operation in both groups when compared with preoperative baseline value (P<0.05). These results suggest that improved pain relief per se by IV PCA had no mjor influence on the suppression of sympathetic responses and myocardial oxygen consumption and these responses were exaggerated during first 30 minutes after abdominal hysterectomy.
Analgesia* ; Blood Pressure* ; Female ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Oxygen Consumption ; Pain Management ; Pain, Postoperative ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis