Advances in neonatal care system and research have resulted in an increased survival rate among low birth weight infants in the industrialized countries. Recent Korean neonatal mortality and morbidity statistics, and current status of Korean neonatal intensive care facilities were reviewed here for the sake of future improvement and research.Morbidity statistics revealed that perinatal diseases accounted for 80% of the death of premature infants implying the possibility of its reduction by the vigorous prenatal care service in future. On the basis of extensive studies of nutritional support and growth rate of premature infants, commercial formulas for premature infants have been developed and various aspects of feeding techniques are standardized. However, problem of growth deficit of premature infants remains unsolved as medical problem. NICU specialists are challenged with the tasks of prenatal education or provision of care that minimizes the neurodevelopmental problems seen in preterm infants, various short-term outcome researches have been reported and those are reviewed here to promote research interest in the field of neonatal nursing. Systemic long-term outcome studies are also awaited in Korea for the formulation of welfare policy in future. Nursing science has to embrace all these interdisciplinary studies as their own research field in collaboration with neonatologist, nutritionist, rehabilitation therapist, social workers and teachers.
Cooperative Behavior ; Developed Countries ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Interdisciplinary Studies ; Korea ; Neonatal Nursing ; Nursing ; Nutritional Support ; Nutritionists ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prenatal Care ; Prenatal Education ; Rehabilitation ; Social Workers ; Specialization ; Survival Rate ; Child Health

The author investigated pain experiences of 90 cancer patients and adequacy of pain treatment they have received during their stay at a large medical center in T city between October 1994 and August 1995. Pain was assessed by the Shortened BPQ and results are summarized as follows: As for ratings of "worst pain" during the 24 hour period, 70% of the patients reported they had "severe" pain. As for ratings on "pain now" 43% of the cancer patients reported "moderate to severe" pain. Over 46% of the patients reported a pain relief score of 0(not at all) or 1(somewhat) even after receiving pain medication. Adequacy of analgesic treatment was evaluated by comparing the patient's reported level of pain and the analgesic use, namely, the pain management index(PMI). The PMI indicated that 58% of the patients were undertreated for the pain control. In review of nurse's notes, systematic pain assessment was scarcely recorded, although pain documentation appeared in 70% of the notes; and the contents were mostly simple description. In conclusion, the results of patient's pain ratings, the PMI and poor pain documentation in the nurse's notes implied poor pain assessment and management.
Humans ; Pain Management* ; Pain Measurement

The purpose of this article is to describe the overview of current medical treatments of childhood epilepsy in Korea and to review several recent nursing researches related to quality of life problems, especially psychological functioning in children with epilepsy and the stress of the family. The prognosis of childhood epilepsy has been improved considerably and about 80% of patients can now be expected to achieve complete seizure control by the antiepileptic drug treatment. Even for the intractable epilepsy, with the combination of ketogenic diet program and antiepileptic drug therapy or surgical treatment, the prognosis became very much better than before. The majority of research has reported that children with epilepsy were experiencing quality of life problems. They are at risk for impaired functioning, compared to either general population controls or to other chronic illness groups such as asthma and diabetes. The ultimate goal of providing care to children with epilepsy is to control seizures while facilitating an optimal quality of life for the child as well as the family. Recommendations are included for future research and intervention programs for children, parents and our society.
Asthma ; Child* ; Chronic Disease ; Drug Therapy ; Epilepsy* ; Humans ; Ketogenic Diet ; Korea ; Nursing Research ; Parents ; Population Control ; Prognosis ; Quality of Life* ; Seizures ; Child Health

This study assessed behavioral characteristics of 73 normal neonates in Daegu area using the NBAS. Being one of few studies on this topic, the study is to document and to accumulate data on the neonatal behaviors of Korean babies. Overall scores were at moderate levels in 6 behavioral clusters including Habituation, Social Interactive, Motor System, State Organization, and State Regulation. Autonomic Stability showed relative stableness. Scores of Orientation were higher in neonates of working mothers and rural mothers. Neonates of mothers with no abortion history have higher scores in Motor System and State Organization. Score of State organization was higher in neonates of mothers with no habitual use of amenity during their pregnancy. Scores of Habituation and State Organization, as well as scores of Motor System with State Organization, State Regulation and Autonomic Stability were positively correlated. Scores of Habituation and State Organization indicate that babies are agreeable and even tameable that is advantageous for attachment to caregiver.
Abortion, Induced ; Caregivers ; Daegu ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Mothers ; Pregnancy ; Child Health

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate life stress, social support, and antepartum depression among Southeast Asian immigrant women married to Korean men. METHODS: Ninety-three subjects were recruited from local women's clinics and multicultural family support centers in D City. The instruments used were the life stress scale, social support scale, and K-EPDS. All the instruments were translated into their corresponding mother languages (Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Philippine) and notarized. RESULTS: The item mean scores of life stress and social support were 2.65 and 3.17, respectively, on a 5-point Likert scale. The mean score of antepartum depression was 10.16, indicating that they were generally in a depressive state. A positive correlation was observed between life stress and antepartum depression (r=.59, p<.001). Social support was negatively correlated with life stress (r=-.42, p<.001) and antepartum depression (r=-.39, p<.001). The best predictors for antepartum depression were life stress, marital satisfaction, and emotional support, and they explained 43% of the variance. CONCLUSION: Antepartum depression in Southeast Asian immigrant brides was significantly associated with life stress as well as lack of emotional support. Emotional support may reduce their life stress and antepartum depression.
Asia, Southeastern* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Depression* ; Emigrants and Immigrants* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mothers ; Pregnant Women ; Stress, Psychological*

Purpose: This study examined the effects of a positive psychology-based program for depressed pregnant women. Methods: Of the 221 pregnant women who were screened, 24 were recruited from 4 local women’s clinic in Daegu city, South Korea. Subjects were at 6–29 weeks of gestation and scored 9–13 points on the Korean version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Subjects were assigned to experimental (n= 12) and control (n=12) groups. The program consisted of ten 120-minute sessions conducted twice a week. Data were collected during the period between December 21, 2017 and April 12, 2018 and analyzed using IBM SPSS/WIN (ver. 21.0). Homogeneity of the experimental and control groups was evaluated by chi-square test and t-test. Hypotheses were tested by repeated measure analysis of variance. Results: The results revealed that in terms of stress coping styles, the active coping style (group*time= 15.23, p<0.001) increased, while the passive coping style decreased (group*time=15.27, p<0.001). Perceived spouse support (group*time=19.45, p<0.001), self-esteem (group*time=17.39, p<0.001), perinatal depression (group*time=78.77, p<0.001), and flourish (group*time=57.56, p<0.001) have significantly improved in the experimental group compared with the control group. Conclusion These findings indicate that positive psychology-based program can be useful for pregnant women already suffering from depression to prevent perinatal depression.

Purpose: This study examined the effects of a positive psychology-based program for depressed pregnant women. Methods: Of the 221 pregnant women who were screened, 24 were recruited from 4 local women’s clinic in Daegu city, South Korea. Subjects were at 6–29 weeks of gestation and scored 9–13 points on the Korean version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Subjects were assigned to experimental (n= 12) and control (n=12) groups. The program consisted of ten 120-minute sessions conducted twice a week. Data were collected during the period between December 21, 2017 and April 12, 2018 and analyzed using IBM SPSS/WIN (ver. 21.0). Homogeneity of the experimental and control groups was evaluated by chi-square test and t-test. Hypotheses were tested by repeated measure analysis of variance. Results: The results revealed that in terms of stress coping styles, the active coping style (group*time= 15.23, p<0.001) increased, while the passive coping style decreased (group*time=15.27, p<0.001). Perceived spouse support (group*time=19.45, p<0.001), self-esteem (group*time=17.39, p<0.001), perinatal depression (group*time=78.77, p<0.001), and flourish (group*time=57.56, p<0.001) have significantly improved in the experimental group compared with the control group. Conclusion These findings indicate that positive psychology-based program can be useful for pregnant women already suffering from depression to prevent perinatal depression.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of systematic information on maternal attachment, parenting stress and maternal confidence of mothers of premature infants. METHODS: Using a non-equivalent control group pre-post quasi-experimental design, 42 participants were assigned to one of two groups, an experimental group (n=20), which received systematic information; and a control (n=22), which received the usual discharge education. Prior to the intervention, baseline data were collected (pretest) and then the systematic information was provided four times for the experimental group. Maternal attachment, parenting stress and maternal confidence were measured. Data were collected three times: Seven to 10 days prior to discharge, day of discharge, and two weeks after discharge. RESULTS: Mothers in the experimental group had significantly higher scores in maternal attachment (F=6.16, p=.005), lower parenting stress scores (F=5.56, p=.004), and higher scores for maternal confidence (F=16.50, p<.001) than mothers in the control group. These tendencies were progressively enhanced even two weeks after discharge from the hospital. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that provision of systematic information to mothers with premature infants is an effective intervention to enhance mothers' maternal attachment, decrease parenting stress, and enhance maternal confidence.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Mothers ; Parenting ; Parents

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of sensory stimulation therapy on the physical growth and behaviors of infants accommodated at two Korean orphanages. METHOD: Thirty-eight full term infants were assigned to a control (n=20) or an experimental (n=18) group within 14 days of birth. In addition to routine orphanage care, infants in the experimental group received 15 minutes of massage twice a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. RESULT: Compared to the control group, the experimental group had gained significantly more weight and had larger increases in length and head circumference after the 4-week intervention period. In addition, the experimental group showed significantly better behavioral performance in the scoring of habituation (e.g., light), motor (e.g., motor maturity), and state range (e.g., peak of excitement, rapidity of build-up) behavioral clusters of Brazelton's NBAS. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that sensory stimulation therapy may facilitate the physical and behavioral development of the newborn infants placed in the orphanages.
Head ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Massage ; Orphanages ; Parturition ; Child Health

PURPOSE: This study was to confirm the effect of acupressure on the emesis control and the weight change among pediatric cancer patients receiving anti-cancer chemotherapy. METHOD: Forty pediatric cancer patients, receiving the induction stage of chemotherapy with MTX and vincristine, were divided into control(n=20) and the intervention group(n=20). Both groups received regular anti-emesis medication, but the intervention group was added acupressure maneuver for 5 minutes on P6 point for 3 times a day for 5days: before chemotherapy, lunch and dinner by investigator during the hospitalization and by mother at home. The instruments for this study were Rhode's(1986) Index of nausea, vomiting and retching(INVR), Cas electric scale and pamphlet developed by researcher. RESULT: Significant differences in the degree of nausea and vomiting were observed between the control and the intervention group as measured by INVR(t=4.73; p=.01). Repeated measures ANOVA also shows that the group effect was significant(F=22.39, P=.01) as was the time effect(F=380.35, P=.01). The group by time interaction was also significant(F=5.27, P=.01). Acupressure maneuver was apparently effective in reducing the degree of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. There were also statistically significant weight loss noted in the control group than the intervention group(t=5.42, p=.01). CONCLUSION: Acupressure on P6 point shows an effective adjunct maneuver in reducing the degree of nausea and vomiting and conserving the weight in pediatric cancer patients. Therefore, it is proposed that acupressure should be applied as supportive nursing intervention strategies to relieve chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting and to prevent weight loss in pediatric cancer patients.
Acupressure* ; Drug Therapy* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Lunch ; Meals ; Mothers ; Nausea ; Nursing ; Pamphlets ; Research Personnel ; Vincristine ; Vomiting ; Weight Loss ; Child Health