No abstract available.
Hypertension* ; Renin*

This study was designed to identify the relationship between perceived social support and discernd powerlessness held by the elderly residing in a rural community. The purpose of this study was to contribute to theoretical understanding of the relationship of these two variables and eventually to the more effective adaptation of the elderly to their situation. The subjects for this study were the 89 elderly residing in a rural community. Data were collected by a questionnaire from June 2 to 20, 1998. The data were analysed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlated coefficient and stepwise multiple regression using a SAS program. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. 1. The relationship between perceived social support and discernd powerlessness was significant(r = -.23502, p=.0266). Especially, discernd elderly's powerlessness shows a highly significant relationship with family and neighborhood support(family r= -.45096, p=.0001, neighborhood r= -.35681, p=.0006). In the support patterns, the discernd powerlessness of the elderly has a significant relationship to emotional, informational and evaluational support. Therefore the hypothesis that, "the lower the degree of social support peiceived by the elderly, the higher the degree of discened powerlessness" was supported. 2. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor of discened powerlessness was family support in support system (R2 = .2034), and emotional support (R2 = .0627) in support patterns. 3. General characteristic related to the degree of social support was only residential status(P< .05), but the degree of family support was related to spouse(t=2.390. p<.01). residential status(t= -2.157, p<.05), and household.
Aged* ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Residence Characteristics ; Rural Population*

No abstract available.
Breast* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the effects abdominal breathing on anxiety and length of labor time in primipara women. METHOD: It was a quasiexperimental design with a non-equivalent comparison group, performed from October 11 to December 4, 2007. Thirty-six subjects who received pitocin and met the inclusion criteria were chosen by convenience sampling from the labor room of Y hospital located in Seoul. The intervention of abdominal breathing was 'four seconds of inhale, six seconds of exhale breathing method.' The abdominal breathing was carried out 30 times each when the uterine cervix was dilated 3~4cm and 5~6cm. Psychological anxiety was measured by VAS-A before and after the cervix dilatation to 3~4cm, and 5~6cm. RESULT: Anxiety scores of the experimental was found lower than that of the control group at 3~4cm(z=-3.05, p=.00) and 5~6cm(z=-2.04, p=.04) of cervix dilatation. However, the abdominal breathing was not effective to the length of labor from the active phase thru full dilatation, though there was 56 minutes of difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Carrying out the abdominal breathing 30 times at two time points was effective in decreasing anxiety level during labor. Further study is suggested to examine the effects of abdominal breathing on labor time, fetal heart rate, and uterine contraction.
Anxiety ; Arginine Vasopressin ; Cervix Uteri ; Dilatation ; Female ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Humans ; Lifting ; Oxytocin ; Pregnancy ; Respiration

No abstract available.
Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to analyse the activities and status of infection control nurses (ICNs) and the trends of them since the first full-time ICN had been appointed in 1991. METHODS: Questionaries were mailed to 164 general hospitals with more than 300 beds. 85 hospitals were responded (51.8%) from 17June to 11 November 2003. RESULT: Full-time ICN was employed in 37.5%, 88.8% hospitals employed only one ICN regardless full-time or part-time ICN. ICNs spent time on surveillance (40.7%), teaching (29.4%), and meeting et al (30.3%). Surveillance was practice (67.5%), but surgical site surveillance was done in 12.1%. Personal characteristics and IC activities were significantly different between full-time and part-time ICNs. No of ICNs were increased by the national regulation and policy making. ICNs have improved the efficacy of infection control (IC) and abolished many wasteful ICs, The intensity of surveillance and the number of hospitals keep on hospital environmental control guidelines were increased. CONCLUSION: The number of ICNs was lower than 1980s' recommendation. The regulation on the ratio of ICN to beds should be added. The general features and activities of ICNs have been improved since 1991. However, to step up IC, the reward and support systems for ICN should be established.
Cross Infection ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Infection Control* ; Policy Making ; Postal Service ; Reward

BACKGROUND: Several keratolytic agents have been used in many dirmatologic conditions such as callus, keratosis palmaris of plantaris, however the evaluation method of the effects of keratolytiic agents has not been good enough in clinical use. OBJECT: We have conducted an investigation to measure the effect of several keratolytic agents using an in vitro model. METHOD: We measured the fegraded protein of keratin by the bui iet method after adding enzymes such as trypsin, pepsin and papain, and irritants, salicylic acid and sodii m lauryl sulfate to the collected callus. RESULT: The order of the keratolytic effect of the enzymes was trypsir >pepsin>papain. It was difficult to detect the keratolytic effect of salicylic acid becaues of color hiidrance and there was an increasing tendency of keratolyti effect of sodium lauryl sulfate, however it was prominent mainly at a high concentration. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that the potency of similar types of keratolytic enzymes such as pepsin, trypsin and papain can be possible. However it was not such a sitable model to check the potency of the keratolytic effect of salicylic acid and the eoncentration tevel may be an important factor for certain kinds of chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulfate.
Bony Callus ; Irritants* ; Keratolytic Agents ; Keratosis ; Papain ; Pepsin A ; Salicylic Acid ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate ; Trypsin

PURPOSE: The study has planned to find out the perceived social support of the families with pneumoconiosis patients. METHOD: The subjects of the study were the 300 family care givers of the pneumoconiosis patients who were hospitalized in Taeback, Donghae and Jeongsun Occupational Medical Center. The Social Support Survey Instrument developed by Park(1985) was adopted. RESULTS: The Direct Perceived Supports showed statistically differences by the age(F=1.70 p=0.01) and the state of the disease(F=3.09 p=0.027) of the patients. The Health Situation Centered Support was different by the marietal situation(F=2.29 p=0.48) of the pneumoconiosis patients. The Indirect Perceived Supports were statistically different by sex(t=3.76 p=0.043) and relation with the patient (F=2.49 p=0.048), group joining(t=3.79 p=0.042) of the family care givers. The DPSs were statistically different by family income(F=2.25 p=0.025), family authority(F=2.81 p=0.031) and health insurance status(F=2.13 p=0.026). RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended to develop an active social support program at the pneumoconiosis care centers for the middle aged female family care givers of the pneumoconiosis patients with the support of Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Health and Welfare and other NGOs of pneumoconiosis.
Caregivers ; Female ; Gangwon-do ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis*

In Korea, the nosocomial infection control program is not well estabilished. This study was carried out to investigate the incidence rate of nosocomial infection occurred among patients of 18 hospitals for 7 days ; cases of hospital infection per 10,000 patients discharged during the same period in Korea. The study was done in 18 volunteer hospitals and nosocomial infection cases for 7 days were collected retrospectively. The result was as follows; 1. The incidence rate of nosocomial infection for 7 days was 578 cases per 10, 000 patients discharged. 2. Pneumonia was the most prevalent nosocomial infection ; the incidence rate 112.7 cases per 10,000 discharges. The incidence rate of urinary tract infection was 85. 7 cases and that of septicemia was 36. 7 cases per 10, 000 discharges. 3. The incidence rate of nosocomial infection among patients of neurosurgery department was the highest(2,742 cases per 10,000 discharges). And the incidence rate of nosocomial infection was 6 times higher among the patients of intensive care unit than that of general ward. The reasons of higher nosocomial infection rate of intensive care unit and neurosurgery appeared to be due to many invasive procedures. Thus the priority in nosocomial infection control program must be given to those groups.
Cross Infection* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea* ; Neurosurgery ; Patients' Rooms ; Pneumonia ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Volunteers