Little is known about sexual autonomy in the light of human sexual health or sexual behavior. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of sexual autonomy by developing a scale to measure sexual autonomy in college students. The measure was based on the perspective of human beings as having autonomy. A methodological developmental design was used. The study was done in three steps and included concept development through content analysis of relevant literature individual interviews using open-ended questions with 19 college students, item analysis of data from self report questionnaires for item to total correlation, content validity index by professionals and college students, and factor analysis with principal component analysis. Three groups participated in testing the measurement scale; Group A in 1998, a nationwide convenience sample of college students (n=1,163), Group B, college students in 1999 (n=233), and Group C, college students in 2000 who responded to the measurement scale before and after a sex education program (n=216). A series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test validity. For analysis of the questionnaires, statistical methods including reliability (test-retest), item to total analysis, content validity, factor analysis for construct validity and t-test for mean difference according to gender, sexual coitus, previous sex education, and pre-post experiment sex education were used with SPSS 10.0. Results: 1. Two stable factors were extracted and these contributed 48.05% of the variance in the total score. All 13 items loaded above .40 on each factor. 2. Factor I with 10 items was named 'control' and factor II with 3 items and was named 'coping'. 3. Differences in sexual autonomy scores for college students according to their experience showed that there were significantly higher scores for sexual autonomy in the post sex education group(t=-10.841, p=.000), but there were no differences according to whether or not they had previous sex education. Female college students had higher sexual autonomy scores than male college students in A or B group (t=-5.933, p=.000/ t=-1.992, p=.048). 4. Cronbach's alpha was .8603 for the total 13 items with 1,632 college students, .8739 with 232 students, .8333~.7647 with pre-post sex education with 216 students. This measurement was found to have a high validity and reliability for measuring sexual autonomy in college students. Therefore, the author recommends that it be used to measure the effects of sex education. It is suggested that further study is needed to analyze the relationship between sexual autonomy and sexual behavior. 5. Economic status(gamma33=-.44, t=-6.01) had a positive direct effect on perceived life stress. The results of this study showed that self-esteem had the most significant direct effect on depression. Meaning of life and health status had significant direct effect on this self-esteem. Volunteer activity and health status had direct effect on meaning of life. The results of this study suggested that there is a need to develope intervention to promote degree of self-esteem and alleviate degree of depression in middle-aged women.
Coitus ; Depression ; Factor VII ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Male ; Principal Component Analysis ; Prothrombin ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reproducibility of Results ; Reproductive Health ; Self Report ; Sex Education ; Sexual Behavior ; Stress, Psychological ; Volunteers

No abstract available.
Complementary Therapies

No abstract available.
Complementary Therapies

BACKGROUND: Impairment of relaxing response and augmentation of contractile response to vasoactive substances have been reported in atherosclerotic arteries. These alterations in vascular reactivity are considered as an underlying mechanism for the development of acute vasospasm in atherosclerotic coronary artery. Recently, it has been reported that lysophophatidylcholine (LPC), an oxidative metabolite of low density lipoprotein causes this functional abnormality. However, the precise mechanism of LPC induced change of vascular reactivity is still uncertain. METHOD: In this study, to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of abnormal vascular reactivity in atherosclerotic coronary artery, we examined the effect of LPC on whole cell K+current using patch clamping technique in rabbit coronary smooth muscle cells. RESULTS: Application of LPC(1microM) showed dual effect on whole cell outward current which depends on the magnitude of test potentials. At relatively high depolarizing test potentials (> 10 mV), LPC increased amplitude of outward current which was blocked by Gd3+ not by iberiotoxin (100 nM) and TEA (1 mM). Reversal potential of this Gd3+sensitive, LPC-induced current was -9.7 +/- 0.6 mV. At less depolarizing test potentials (< 10 mV), LPC decreased whole cell K+currents in a dose dependent manner (from 0.01 to 10 microM) in the range of -30 mV to +0 mV. Half maximal inhibition of K+current was 1.509 microM at 0 mV test potential (n =5). Depolarizing holding potential (0 mV) prevented this LPC-induced inhibition of K+current. Steady state activation and inactivation parameters of K+current were significantly shifted to the positive direction by application of LPC (p < 0.01, n =8). Pretreatment of staurosporine (100 nM), a blocker of protein kinase C partially blocked LPC-induced decrease of K+currents. CONCLUSION: LPC-induced inhibition of voltage dependent K+current may explain abnormal vascular reactivity in atherosclerotic coronary artery.
Arteries ; Constriction ; Coronary Vessels ; Lipoproteins ; Lysophosphatidylcholines* ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle* ; Protein Kinase C ; Staurosporine ; Tea

The Marfan syndrome is classified as a heritable disorder of connective tissue with clinical and pathological alterations involving supporting elements. In its classic form, the Marfan syndrome is associated with abnormalities of the eye(ectopia lentis), aorta(aortic dilatation and aortic regurgitation) and skeleton(dolichostenomelia, arachnodactyly and pectus deformity). The authers have experienced a case of marfan syndrome recently. The patient was 30-years-old male complaining of anterior chest pain radiating to upper back. Physical examination showed tall status, increased length of the limbs as compared with the trunk and arachnodactyly. On auscultation, heart sound was normal without murmur. He wore glasses because of moderate myopia. Roentgenogram of the chest P-A revealed normal cardiac and aortic contours and lung fields. Left lateral view of chest X-ray revealed concave depression of sternum showing mild pectus excavatum, fusiform dilatation of aorta from aortic root to mid portion of thoracic aorta and resulting in obliteration of retrosternal clear space. Echocardiogram demonstrated moderate dilatation of aortic root A-P diameter(4.5cm) without aortic or mitral valvular abnormalities and normal size of left ventricular cavity(EDD:5.3cm). These data coupled with a distinct family history could permit the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome.
Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Arachnodactyly ; Chest Pain ; Connective Tissue ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Extremities ; Eyeglasses ; Funnel Chest ; Glass ; Heart Auscultation ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Marfan Syndrome* ; Myopia ; Physical Examination ; Sternum ; Thorax

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a scale for measuring the attitudes toward condom use in sexual relationships. METHOD: A questionnaire was administered to 631 college students using a convenience sampling method. The psychometric properties (reliability and validity) were evaluated. RESULT: As a result of the item analysis, 16 items were selected and the internal consistency alpha coefficient was .88. Results indicated that the condom attitude scale is composed of three factors: Interruption of sexual pleasure; Protection; and Image. The three factors accounted for 59.54% of the variance in the total scale. Also, condom attitude was statistically significant (t=7.389, p=.000) between consistent condom users and inconsistent users. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that condom attitudes are multidimensional, and the reliability and validity of the scale was supported.
Adult ; *Attitude ; *Condoms ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Questionnaires ; Students/*psychology

To identify strategies to prevent sexual problems in teenage girls, respondents in this study answered two open-ended questions: "What are strategies for teenage school girls to prevent unwanted coitus?" and "What are strategies for teenage girls to prevent pregnancy?" The respondents were 12,733 girls from an accessible population of 19,000, a multi-stage cluster sample from a population of 1,988,902 girls attending 4,684 schools in the seven largest cities and nine provinces in Korea. Data were collected by mail between October 2 and October 28, 2000. The response rate was 68.9%. The total number of responses for the first question was 10,345, and for the second, 9,624. Data were analyzed by content analysis. The results of this study are: 1. According to priority, frequent strategies to prevent unwanted coitus were, self assertiveness (35.7%), heterosexual interaction training (24.6%), sex education (21.2%), and innovations in the system of social culture (4.7%). The order of priority was the same whether the respondents had experienced coitus or not. 2. According to priority, frequent strategies to prevent pregnancy were, heterosexual interaction training (27.4%), sex education (26.2%), contraceptive use and induced abortion (21.4%), and innovations in the system of social culture (3.2%). The first priority for the respondents who had not experienced coitus was heterosexual interaction training (27.7%) but contraceptive use (35.5%) was the first priority for the group who had experienced coitus. In sex education, a focus on contraceptive use for teenage girls who have experienced coitus and on heterosexual interaction training for those who have not, would strengthen preventive strategies for these two sexual problems. Assertiveness training as part of sex education would further strengthen prevention strategies.
Abortion, Induced ; Assertiveness ; Coitus ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Female* ; Heterosexuality ; Humans ; Korea* ; Postal Service ; Pregnancy ; Sex Education

No abstract available.
Lymphocytes* ; Macrophages* ; Nitric Oxide*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify whether the maternal-fetal attachment is related to choose the rooming-in of postpartum women. METHOD: This is a retrospective descriptive study. The data was collected from April 1 to May 31, 2001. Subjects who had NSVD were 68 mothers who opted the rooming-in and 98 mothers who did not choose the rooming-in at one hospital in Seoul, Korea. The research questionnaire consisted of 14 items on general characteristics, and 24 items on maternal fetal attachment developed by Cranley(1981). RESULT: 1. There was significant statistical difference in general characteristics between rooming-in and non rooming-in groups in prenatal class attendance, and husband attendance during the delivery. 2. There was significantly higher level of maternal fetal attachment score in the rooming-in group. 3. There was higher level of maternal fetal attachment score in the group which had participated in childbirth education than the group which didn't had participated. CONCLUSION: It could be concluded that the maternal fetal attachment is identified as a significant factor choosing the rooming in for postpartum women. Therefore it is needed to increase maternal fetal attachment of pregnant women before making decision for whether they choose the rooming-in or non-rooming in after delivery.
Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mothers ; Postpartum Period* ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Education ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Spouses

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the influencing factors on postpartum fatigue in the parturient women. METHODS: The data were collected from July to September, 2006 using self-report questionnaires. The sample was 143 healthy parturient women who visited the outpatient clinic at 2 hospitals for a routine follow up after childbirth. The data were analyzed by using SPSS 12.0 Win program. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the postpartum fatigue by age, religion, sleep hour, and complaint of perceived health problem. The postpartum fatigue were significantly correlated with infant care stress(p<0.001), sleep satisfaction(p<0.001), and feeding difficulty(p=0.016). The multiple regression analysis showed that the postpartum fatigue were significantly predicted by the infant care stress, sleep satisfaction and complaint of perceived health problem. These variables explained 31.8% of the variance of postpartum fatigue. The infant care stress was the main predictor of postpartum fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: It could be concluded that the nursing intervention for reducing the infant care stress should be developed to manage the postpartum fatigue for parturient women. Prospective studies are needed to be conducted to verify the causal relationship between infant care stress and postpartum fatigue.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Fatigue* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Care ; Nursing ; Parturition ; Postpartum Period* ; Surveys and Questionnaires