BACKGROUND: Health illiteracy is a problem often unrecognized by health care providers. It influences medical costs and the health status of adults. The purposes of this study were to determine the level of health literacy in community-dwelling adults and to identify the factors influencing it. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Chungcheong province. A total of 420 adults aged 18 or older were interviewed by trained nursing students between November 1 to December 30, 2011. Health literacy was measured using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Data were analyzed using the PASW 18.0 program. RESULTS: The mean score of health literacy was 50.64+/-19.18. In the multiple linear regression analysis, health literacy was significantly associated with education (beta=0.17, P=0.001), alcohol use (beta=-0.12, P=0.010), and perceived health status (beta=0.11, P=0.029). These factors accounted for about 7% of health literacy. CONCLUSIONS: Health literacy is a very important public health issue. Our findings showed that educational level, alcohol use and perceived health status should be considered when assessing this issue in patients. Furthermore, the development of a standardized Korean assessment tool for health literacy and specified interventions for enhancing health literacy are needed to improve health outcomes.
Adult* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education ; Gyeonggi-do ; Health Literacy* ; Health Personnel ; Health Status ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Literacy ; Primary Prevention ; Public Health ; Seoul ; Students, Nursing

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the electromyographic activities of the erector spinae muscle of the back and the rectus femoris muscle of the thigh, and to measure the angles of the spinal and knee flexions in order to determine the effect of wearing a back belt. METHODS: Fifteen healthy males participated in the study. Surface electromyography was used to measure the level of muscle activities at the two muscle groups. The Simi system, utilizing two-dimensional analysis of movement, was used to examine the range of motion of the back and low extremity. RESULTS: Firstly, the angle of the spinal flexion was significantly less in the back-belt-wearing group than in the control, and that of the knee flexion was significantly increased in the back-belt-wearing group. Secondly, there was no significant change in the electromyographic signals of the erector spinae muscle of the back and the rectus femoris muscle of the thigh. CONCLUSIONS: The use of back belts helps workers to correct their posture when lifting boxes. It can therefore protect workers from acute back injuries.
Back Injuries ; Electromyography ; Extremities* ; Humans ; Knee ; Lifting* ; Male ; Posture ; Quadriceps Muscle ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Thigh

For the purpose of elucidating relation between red cell electrolyte concentrations and serum digoxin level, measurement of red cell electrolyte concentrations and seum digoxin level by radioimmunoassay were done in 46 normal controls and 63 patients of CHF including 8 patients with digitalis intoxication. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Red cell sodium concentration and ratio of red cell sodium to red cell potassium concentration in normal males were significantly higher than those of females, and red cell potassium concentration in normal males was significantly lower than that of normal females. 2. Red cell potassium concentration in patients of CHF was significantly higher than that of normal controls, but there was no difference in the red cell sodium concentration between the groups. 3. There was no relation between red cell electrolyte concentrations and serum digoxin level, and red cell electrolyte concentration did not exactly estimate serum digoxin level. 4. Red cell electrolyte concentrations in the patient of CHF were valuable in detecting digitalis toxicity.
Digitalis ; Digoxin* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Potassium ; Radioimmunoassay ; Sodium

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans

PURPOSE: To evaluate morphologic characteristics of the microcalcifications on mammography that were confirmed pathologically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty five cases of microcalcifications on mammography (fifteen cases of benign lesion, thirty cases of maiignancy) were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The number of microcalcifications within 1 cm2 were more than 5 in 22 cases (73%) of 30 malignancy and less than 5 in 11 cases (73%) of 15 benignity. The heterogeneity of microcalcifications were seen in 26 cases of malignancy (87%) and the homogeneity of microcaicifications were 11 cases of benignity (73%). The morphologic characteristics of the microcalcifications were linear-V shape in 9 cases (30%), punctate shape in 8 cases (27%), fine stippled shape in 7 cases (23%), and round dot shape in 6 cases (20%) of malignancy and, round dot shape in 11 cases (73%), punctate shape in 2 cases (13%), and linear-V shape in 2 cases (13%) of benignity. CONCLUSION: Numerous irregular microcalcifications that are heterogenous in size and morphology were strong indicators of malignancy.
Mammography ; Population Characteristics ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the sleep patterns of nursing students using self-report questionnaire and physiologic measurement, to examine the factors influencing sleep patterns in based on Spielman's model. METHODS: Participants were 119 nursing students who were in the clinical practice period. Self-report questionnaires and actigraphy were used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression by the SPSS/WIN 21.0 programs. RESULTS: When sleep was measured by self-report questionnaire, 84 students (70.6%) showed poor sleep quality. The mean sleep efficiency was 82.6%, and 67 students(56.3%) showed low sleep efficiency (less than 85.0%). The factors affecting subjective sleep pattern measured by KMLSEQ were circadian sleep type (β=.28, ρ=.003) and alcohol (β=.20, ρ=.031). The factors affecting total sleep time were sedentary behavior (β=-.27, ρ=.003) and daytime sleepiness (β=-.33, ρ<.001). CONCLUSION: Many nursing students in their clinical practice period expressed sleep disturbance. Factors affecting the perceived sleep measured by the self-report questionnaire and objective sleep evaluated by physiologic measures were different. The evening type of students perceived poor sleep quality, however, sedentary life style and daytime sleepiness resulted in short sleep time. Therefore, more studies measuring the objective sleep characteristics are needed using subjective and objective characteristics.
Actigraphy ; Humans ; Life Style ; Nursing* ; Students, Nursing*

No abstract available.
Cystitis* ; Pyelonephritis*

No abstract available.
Priapism* ; Ureter*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons for unmet dental needs in Korea and to find ways to improve dental care accessibility by using data from the 6th National Health and Nutrition Survey. METHODS: This study was performed using data collected from the 6th National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). A total of 2,251 subjects were selected for the study. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0 on data files obtained according to complex sampling design, and a significance level of 0.05 was used. General characteristics of the subjects, oral health status, and unmet dental needs were examined for a complex sampling frequency analysis, and the differences in distribution were analyzed using chi-square analysis. Relevant factors were determined using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: According to the logistic regression analysis, in Model 1, gender, household income, employment status, and subjective health status were found to be significantly related to unmet dental needs (P<0.05). In Model 2, subjective health status, subjective oral health status, and chewing difficulty were significantly related to unmet dental needs (P<0.001). Model 3 showed a significant relationship between subjective health status, subjective oral health status, chewing difficulty, periodontal disease, and unmet dental needs (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the reasons for the unmet dental needs in Korea are socioeconomic status, general health status, and oral health status. In the future, economic barriers to obtaining dental care need to be overcome through improvements in health insurance policies and systems and diversification of private insurance. Oral health should be improved through oral health education, which can create awareness and provide motivation for maintaining oral health.
Adult ; Dental Care ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Education ; Employment ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; Insurance ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mastication ; Motivation ; Nutrition Surveys ; Oral Health ; Periodontal Diseases ; Social Class

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing rapidly and extra-intestinal manifestations in IBD are also increasing. The prevalence of renal and urinary involvement in IBD ranges from 4–23%. Nephrolithiasis is the most common urinary complication in IBD patients. Parenchymal renal disease is rare but has been well documented and presents most commonly as glomerulonephritis or tubulointerstitial nephritis. The overall morbidity of IBD-related renal manifestations is significant. Therefore, a high index of clinical suspicion and optimal monitoring of the renal function are needed for the early diagnosis and prevention of IBD-related renal manifestations and complications.
Early Diagnosis ; Glomerulonephritis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Kidney ; Nephritis, Interstitial ; Nephrolithiasis ; Prevalence