INTRODUCTION

Nurses handling the Tuberculosis Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (TB-DOTS) are crucial in implementing the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP), which faced challenges during COVID-19. Hence, this study aimed to explore and to understand the TB DOTS Nurses' lived experiences on implementing NTP amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

A descriptive phenomenology research design was used in this study among purposively selected 15 TB DOTS nurses during the pandemic, using in-depth interviews. Descriptive phenomenology was chosen to focus on capturing and describing the nurses' direct experiences. Data were manually transcribed into EXCEL software, coded, clustered, and thematized. Data were also collected from January to April 2023, following IATF Guidelines. Colaizzi's descriptive phenomenology method was employed for analysis, allowing the study to remain true to the participants' own words and perspectives.

This study revealed three major themes with associated subthemes anchored from the significant statements extracted from the participants' verbatims. The first theme, “Menace of Uncertainties,” echoed nurses’ fears of contracting the disease, struggles with implementing the NTP, and balancing patient care with personal well-being. Despite obstacles, nurses formed support systems and remained determined, leading to the emergence of the second theme, "Seeing Light in the Darkness." The third theme, "Establishing a Strong Foundation," outlined nurses' ideas for managing the NTP during a pandemic.

The study underscored the significant challenges TB DOTS nurses faced during the pandemic, including fear, uncertainty, and difficulty balancing personal well-being with patient care. Despite these obstacles, nurses demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to their work. The findings underscored the importance of support systems, flexibility, and enhanced resources in managing TB cases during crises. These insights had direct implications for nursing practice, education, and research, while having emphasized the need for improved facilities, support mechanisms, and training to better equip nurses for future health emergencies.

Physicians play a central role in the fields of medical service, research, and industry, so it is imperative to produce well-qualified doctors. Medicine is composed of science and arts, both necessary for its practice, and thus, the education outcomes in basic medical education in a medical school include basic biomedical sciences, social sciences and clinical sciences. Adequate science competencies create a deeper and better understanding of scientific knowledge, concepts, and methods fundamental to clinical science, and contribute to the scientific, technological, and clinical developments. The science competencies are primarily obtained by studying basic medicine in basic medical education, which has been criticized for failing to do so sufficiently in Korea. The failure is attributed to insufficient education time, teachers, and budgets, but the most critical factor is the lack of awareness regarding the importance of the science competencies of the physicians. Such ignorance also affects the Korean Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE). The KMLE tests competency in clinical sciences, preventive medicine, and medical laws, but not in basic biomedical sciences, which might result in insufficient science competency of the physicians and a decrease in the overall quality of the medical health service. Tests must be urgently introduced in KMLE on the competencies of basic biomedical sciences to improve the science competency of the physicians. The representative organizations of the medical society should take vigorous actions for the introduction of the basic medicine examination in KMLE.
Budgets ; Education ; Education, Medical ; Fibrinogen ; Health Services ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Licensure ; Preventive Medicine ; Schools, Medical ; Social Sciences ; Societies, Medical

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the factors that affect the health promotion behaviors of shift workers.METHODS: Using self-administered questionnaires, data were collected between August 13th and 31st, 2018. Descriptive statistics were computed, and t-test, analysis of variance, and correlational and multiple stepwise regression analyses were conducted using International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.RESULTS: Health promotion behaviors were significantly and positively correlated with psychological well-being (r=.491, p < .001), fatigue (r=.170, p=.030), and self-efficacy (r=.520, p < .001). Psychological well-being (β=.249, p=.014), fatigue (β=.179, p=.007), and self-efficacy (β=.335, p=.001) had significant effects on health promotion behaviors and together explained 31.7% of the variance.CONCLUSION: A systematic educational program that enhances psychological well-being should be developed and implemented to nurture health promotion behaviors among shift workers. Additionally, an intervention program that can enhance health promotion behaviors should be implemented to improve self-efficacy and prevent fatigue among shift workers.
Commerce ; Fatigue ; Health Promotion ; Social Sciences

PURPOSE: Premedical education is one stage in which various educational approaches are used to promote critical thinking. Given that critical thinking ability could be regarded as one of the intended outcomes of social science and humanities education, this study explored the effectiveness of a course to promote critical thinking in a premedical curriculum using both literature and film. METHODS: Fifty-one 2nd year premedical students enrolled in a 'Critical Thinking for Premeds' course. Students were required to read or watch a selected material, submit group discussion agendas, attend five group discussion sessions, and write critical essays. Five tutors facilitated the group discussions, observed and assessed the students' performance and critical essay. Students' critical thinking disposition and opinion on assigned reading materials were examined before and after the course. A program evaluation survey was conducted to investigate the students' reaction after the course. RESULTS: On average, students appreciated 78.6% of the total assigned materials. The students indicated that group discussions and the narrative comments of facilitators contributed the most to develop critical thinking. After the course, the students' tendency preferring cheaper price books, as well as medicine-related books decreased significantly. Students who had critical essay scores greater than or equal to the median demonstrated a significant improvement in critical thinking disposition scores. CONCLUSION: The course was well-accepted by premedical students and had several positive outcomes. A more effective use of the course could be anticipated with a clearer explanation of the purpose, the consideration of previous reading experience, and use of complementary learning activities.
Curriculum ; Education ; Education, Premedical ; Humanities ; Humans ; Learning ; Program Evaluation ; Social Sciences ; Students, Premedical ; Thinking

Suicide is a major problem in Korean health care and a serious social problem. In Korea, 12,463 people (24.3 per 100,000) lost their lives due to suicide in 2017. Although the government has established three National Comprehensive Plan of Suicide Prevention (2004, 2009, 2016), and National Action Plan of Suicide Prevention (2018), the suicide rate is still high. The suicide rate of the elderly is especially high. This is due to the economic vulnerability of the elderly in Korea. Therefore, in order to prevent suicide in Korea, mental health care approach and social welfare approach should be integrated. The intervention of preventing suicide of suicide attempters should include social welfare services as well as mental health program and should be based on community. There are many health problems, including prevention of suicide, which can not be solved only by the efforts of health care. Many health problems are social problems and the integrated approach is needed to solve them. In order to solve many health care problems and improve health, integrated approach of health, social science, and humanities is needed.
Aged ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humanities ; Humans ; Korea ; Mental Health ; Mental Health Services ; Social Problems ; Social Sciences ; Social Welfare ; Suicide

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of periodontitis with metabolic syndromes and menopause status. METHODS: The 2013 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data of 645 postmenopausal and 663 premenopausal women were analyzed using the Pearson's chi-squared test and multiple regression analysis with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (PASW statistics) software version 21.0. Metabolic syndromes and community periodontal index (CPI) were analyzed. RESULTS: CPI 3, CPI 4 (P<0.001), and the prevalence of periodontal disease were significantly higher in the postmenopausal group (P<0.001). Periodontal disease was significantly higher (P<0.001) in postmenopausal women not using dental floss (2.69 times), hypertensive postmenopausal women (1.60 times), and premenopausal women with high blood glucose levels (1.67 times). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for age, smoking habit, and alcohol consumption, significant risk factors for periodontal disease were the lack of dental floss use (odds ratio [OR]: 1.83; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.26–2.67), menopause (OR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.22–2.41), and number of metabolic syndromes (when 1 or 2, OR: 2.22 and 95% CI: 1.50–3.29; when 3 or more, OR: 2.22 and 95% CI: 1.58–3.13). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, menopause status is associated with periodontal disease. Therefore, oral health programs for middle-aged women with menopause and metabolic syndromes should be conducted to improve their oral health-related quality of life.
Alcohol Drinking ; Blood Glucose ; Dental Devices, Home Care ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Menopause ; Nutrition Surveys ; Oral Health ; Periodontal Diseases ; Periodontal Index ; Periodontitis ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Social Sciences

PURPOSE: This study aimed to clarify attributes, antecedents, and consequences of forensic nursing competency.METHOD: Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis was used to analyze twenty nine articles on forensic nursing based on a systematic review of theology, medicine, psychology, and nursing literature.RESULTS: Forensic nursing competency consists of the following seven attributes: awareness of the medico-legal problem, multi-disciplinary integrated knowledge, education and training in forensic science, professional career development, evidence based practice in forensic nursing, collaborative forensic nursing with community partner, safety and security effective communication, and supportive relationships. Finally, we could explain the consequences of forensic nursing competency on knowledge construction in nursing, enhancing professional nursing, and establishing a human rights and social justice based approach. The antecedents of forensic-nursing competency were forensic science interest, forensic science experience, and nurses' view of person in forensic-works.CONCLUSION: Based on these results, we recommend the development of a Korean version of a scale to assess forensic nursing competency.
Concept Formation ; Education ; Evidence-Based Practice ; Forensic Nursing ; Forensic Sciences ; Human Rights ; Humans ; Methods ; Nursing ; Psychology ; Social Justice ; Theology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify trends in health-related interventions on children attending Community Child Care (CCC) centers, which are part of a health policy to provide after-school care for vulnerable children in South Korea. METHODS: From 2007, 109 papers were analyzed using the scoping study method. RESULTS: The number of studies increased steadily between 2007 and 2016. Most studies were based on the social sciences, and the participants were mainly elementary school students. Psychological and social interventions were the most common types of interventions with socio-psychological indicators as measurements. In addition, only a few studies had a clearly defined conceptual framework. The majority of studies did not explicitly indicate that they followed ethical considerations. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to develop health-related interventions for children attending CCC centers using diverse subjects, types, and evaluation methods, along with improvements in the quality of research methodology. Furthermore, it is essential to clearly articulate and implement ethical considerations in research targeting vulnerable children.
Child Care* ; Child* ; Health Policy ; Health Status Disparities ; Humans ; Korea* ; Methods ; Research Design ; Social Sciences

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior (IMCHB)-based oral health program (OHP) and walking exercise program (WEP) on oral health behaviors, periodontal disease, physical activity, and psychological indicators (depression, stress, and quality of life) in pregnant women. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was adopted to compare the effects of a 12-week OHP and WEP on pregnant women (n=65). Pregnant women were randomly assigned to the oral health group (OHG; n=23), walking exercise group (WEG; n=21), or control group (CG; n=21). Data were analyzed by the χ2-test, Fisher's exact test, Scheffe test, and repeated measures ANOVA, using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for Windows (version 21.0). RESULTS: The OHG and WEG showed significant improvements in oral health behaviors, periodontal disease, and psychological indicators as compared to the CG. The WEG showed significant improvement in physical activity as compared to the OHG and CG. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that the IMCHB-based OHP and WEP were effective in improving periodontal disease, physical activity, and psychological indicators. However, further studies are needed to identify the positive effects of the OHP and WEP on birth outcomes.
Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Motor Activity ; Oral Health* ; Parturition ; Periodontal Diseases ; Pregnant Women* ; Social Sciences ; Walking*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between musculoskeletal pain and social psychological factors among dental practitioners. METHODS: A total of 497 dental practitioners who worked in 20 dental clinics and hospitals between June 9 and June 30, 2011 were enrolled in this study. The participants' stress level was measured using the PWI-SF (Psychosoical Well-Being Index-Short Form), a psychosocial health measurement tool, and their musculoskeletal pain was measured using a table that was revised and supplemented by the Korea Occupational Safety Health Agency. Statistical analysis was carried out through frequency analysis, chi-square test, and correlation analysis, using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 18.0. RESULTS: Analyzing the relationship between musculoskeletal pain and social-psychological factors of dental practitioners revealed satisfaction has a significant effect on the level of musculoskeletal pain experienced (P<0.05). Notably, salary satisfaction showed a significant influence on the degree of leg musculoskeletal pain (r=−0.140) and lower back pain (r=−0.204; P<0.05) experienced. Satisfaction in their own welfare (r=−0.157) and amount of time spent working (r=−0.135) showed a significant influence on the degree of leg musculoskeletal pain experienced (P<0.05). The level of pain experienced was higher as the level of stress risk increased (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The level of musculoskeletal pain experienced by dental practitioners was highly related to social-psychological factors. In order to reduce the human and economic losses due to musculoskeletal diseases, continuous preventive care must be provided. Social psychological factors, such as details of job satisfaction and stress, should be taken into account along with physical management of musculoskeletal disorders.
Dental Clinics ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Korea ; Leg ; Low Back Pain ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; Musculoskeletal Pain* ; Occupational Health ; Psychology ; Salaries and Fringe Benefits ; Social Sciences