No abstract available.
Humans ; Pregnancy* ; Ultrasonography*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with sexual debut among Korean middle school students. METHODS: From the database of the Eighth Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS), the researchers selected 37,297 middle school students aged 12-15 years. Data were analyzed using chi2 test and multiple logistic regression with the SPSS WIN 18.0 program. RESULTS: The proportion of middle school students who had a sexual debut was 2.1% of boys and 1.5% of girls. In multiple regression analysis, economic status, experience of part time work, smoking, drug use and depression were associated with an increased proportion of sexual intercourse for both boys and girls. Living with parents, drinking alcohol and suicidal ideation were associated with sexual debut for boys only. By contrast, formal sexual education was associated with a reduced risk of sexual debut. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show the factors associated with sexual debut among Korean middle school students. Gender-related interventions should be taken into consideration in school sexual education programmes, because of differences in related factors according to gender.
Adolescent ; Coitus ; Depression ; Drinking ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Parents ; Risk-Taking ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Suicidal Ideation

The cause of essential hypertension is yet unknown, but in general is caused by interaction of hereditary factors, diet, obesity, lack of exercise and stress. The aging process influences various physiological mechanism related to regulation of blood pressure. So elderly hypertensives have a tendancy to consider the disease as a result of the physiological aging process. This attitude causes many complications, worsening of the disease and even early death because of inappropriate care. In order to improve self-management of elderly hypertensives in this study the researcher examined the effect of blood pressure regulation by an education program that improves self-care behavior, through increasing self-efficacy. The education program consisted of group education on hypertension and self-care strategies, and encouraging and reinforcing self-efficacy resources such as verbal persuation, performance accomplishment and vicarious experiences. A quasi-experimental pre-and post-test design was used. Thirty-two elderly hypertensives participated in the study. Eighteen in the education group and fourteen in the control group. The education program consisted of eight sessions twice a week for four weeks. There was no intervention for the control group. Data were analysed using SPSS for Windows(Version 8.0). The results were as follows. 1. There was a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between the experimental group and control group over three different times, and interaction by groups and over time. 2. There was no significant difference in the level of self-care behavior between the experimental group and control group over three different times, and interaction by groups and over time. 3. There was significant difference in self-efficacy of experimental and control group, depending on the measuring period, but there was no difference between these groups on interaction by groups and over time. 4. There was positive correlation between self efficacy and self care behavior depending on the measuring period. There was negative correlation between diastolic blood pressure and self-care behavior on the posttest of the program, and between systolic blood pressure and self-care behavior on the follow-up test of the program. Findings indicate that this study will contribute to develop nursing strategies for the regulation of blood pressure for the elderly, which is easy for the elderly to learn as a nonpharmacologic approach.
Aged* ; Aging ; Blood Pressure* ; Diet ; Education* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Nursing ; Obesity ; Self Care* ; Self Efficacy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure meaning in life of elderly and to delineate basic data for developing nursing strategies for improving the meaning in life of elderly. METHOD: Subjects were 240 elderly above 65 years old staying in Busan and Kyungnam Province. The data was collected from May to Jun 2004. The instrument was utilizing Elderly Meaning In Life(EMIL) scale developed by Choi et al.(2003). RESULTS: The mean for elderly was 100.4, the range was from 37 to 148. 63.3% of subjects were in existential vacuum. The mean of 1 phase 'acceptance and awareness of self and life' was 36.9, 2 phase 'creative value realization' was 17.8, 3phase 'experiential value realization' was 2.8, 4 phase 'contentedness of past and present' was 43.7. There were significant differences according to the gender, religion, educational level, spouse, spending money, living arrangement and disease. CONCLUSION: On the viewpoint of above results, 63.3% of subjects were in level of existential vacuum, which required logotherapy. Therefore it shows that developing nursing-logotherapy to improve the meaning in life for elderly is demanded.
Aged* ; Busan ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Nursing ; Psychotherapy ; Residence Characteristics ; Spouses ; Vacuum

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with the intention to quit smoking in community-dwelling elderly smokers. METHODS: From the database of the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-IV), the researchers selected 448 elderly smokers over the age of 65. Data were analyzed with the chi2 test and multiple logistic regression using the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 45.5% intended to quit. The factors associated with the intention to quit were relative youth, having limit of activity day living and having past attempts to quit. CONCLUSION: Population-based smoking cessation programs, especially those targeted at the elderly, should take these predictors into consideration in the design of interventions.
Adolescent ; Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Humans ; Intention ; Logistic Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to describe the prevalence of low weight and to investigate related factors contributing to low weight in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: From the database of the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-IV), the researchers selected 2,964 older adults aged over 65. The original study was a population-based epidemiological survey of health and nutrition with a stratified multistage clustered probability design. Data were analyzed using chi2-test and multiple logistic regression with the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. RESULTS: The prevalence of low weight in older adults was 4.7%. The prevalence of low weight was different according to demographic characteristics. That is, the rate was higher in male elders, older ones, and rural residents. In the cases of current smoking, frequent alcohol consumption and no chronic disease, the prevalence of low weight was higher. Age, gender, area of residence, and current smoking were found to be contributing factors to low weight in community-dwelling older adults. CONCLUSION: The result of this study provides important insights into possible reasons for low weight in community-dwelling older adults and suggests that low weight should be considered in promoting older adults' health.
Adult* ; Alcohol Drinking ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to describe the prevalence of low weight and to investigate related factors contributing to low weight in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: From the database of the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-IV), the researchers selected 2,964 older adults aged over 65. The original study was a population-based epidemiological survey of health and nutrition with a stratified multistage clustered probability design. Data were analyzed using chi2-test and multiple logistic regression with the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. RESULTS: The prevalence of low weight in older adults was 4.7%. The prevalence of low weight was different according to demographic characteristics. That is, the rate was higher in male elders, older ones, and rural residents. In the cases of current smoking, frequent alcohol consumption and no chronic disease, the prevalence of low weight was higher. Age, gender, area of residence, and current smoking were found to be contributing factors to low weight in community-dwelling older adults. CONCLUSION: The result of this study provides important insights into possible reasons for low weight in community-dwelling older adults and suggests that low weight should be considered in promoting older adults' health.
Adult* ; Alcohol Drinking ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Weight Loss

Purpose: Short stature is the main characteristic of Turner syndrome (TS) patients and growth hormone (GH) therapy has been essential for achieving the final adult height (Ht). In the present study, the response of TS patients with different types of karyotype abnormalities to GH therapy was analyzed. Methods: The clinical parameters of 194 TS patients registered in the LG Growth Study were retrospectively reviewed. Data for 4 groups of subjects were obtained as follows: monosomy X (n=56); X structural abnormality (n=26); X mosaicism without structural abnormality (n=41); X mosaicism with structural abnormality (n=71). Clinical characteristics and growth response parameters were compared over 3 years of GH treatment. Results: The baseline Ht standard deviation score (SDS) of all patients was -2.85±0.86. The baseline Ht SDS, body mass index SDS, and chronological age (years)-bone age (years) were significantly different based on chromosomal abnormalities. The growth velocity (GV; cm/yr) in the first year was the highest and significantly different among the groups. The GV in the second year also showed an increase in the X mosaicism without structural abnormality group compared with the monosomy X group. The change in Ht SDS (ΔHt SDS) over 3 years was not statistically different between karyotypes. Conclusion The response to 3 years of GH therapy did not differ based on the karyotype of TS patients although the initial Ht SDS was the lowest in the monosomy X group.

Purpose: Short stature is the main characteristic of Turner syndrome (TS) patients and growth hormone (GH) therapy has been essential for achieving the final adult height (Ht). In the present study, the response of TS patients with different types of karyotype abnormalities to GH therapy was analyzed. Methods: The clinical parameters of 194 TS patients registered in the LG Growth Study were retrospectively reviewed. Data for 4 groups of subjects were obtained as follows: monosomy X (n=56); X structural abnormality (n=26); X mosaicism without structural abnormality (n=41); X mosaicism with structural abnormality (n=71). Clinical characteristics and growth response parameters were compared over 3 years of GH treatment. Results: The baseline Ht standard deviation score (SDS) of all patients was -2.85±0.86. The baseline Ht SDS, body mass index SDS, and chronological age (years)-bone age (years) were significantly different based on chromosomal abnormalities. The growth velocity (GV; cm/yr) in the first year was the highest and significantly different among the groups. The GV in the second year also showed an increase in the X mosaicism without structural abnormality group compared with the monosomy X group. The change in Ht SDS (ΔHt SDS) over 3 years was not statistically different between karyotypes. Conclusion The response to 3 years of GH therapy did not differ based on the karyotype of TS patients although the initial Ht SDS was the lowest in the monosomy X group.

Purpose: Short stature is the main characteristic of Turner syndrome (TS) patients and growth hormone (GH) therapy has been essential for achieving the final adult height (Ht). In the present study, the response of TS patients with different types of karyotype abnormalities to GH therapy was analyzed. Methods: The clinical parameters of 194 TS patients registered in the LG Growth Study were retrospectively reviewed. Data for 4 groups of subjects were obtained as follows: monosomy X (n=56); X structural abnormality (n=26); X mosaicism without structural abnormality (n=41); X mosaicism with structural abnormality (n=71). Clinical characteristics and growth response parameters were compared over 3 years of GH treatment. Results: The baseline Ht standard deviation score (SDS) of all patients was -2.85±0.86. The baseline Ht SDS, body mass index SDS, and chronological age (years)-bone age (years) were significantly different based on chromosomal abnormalities. The growth velocity (GV; cm/yr) in the first year was the highest and significantly different among the groups. The GV in the second year also showed an increase in the X mosaicism without structural abnormality group compared with the monosomy X group. The change in Ht SDS (ΔHt SDS) over 3 years was not statistically different between karyotypes. Conclusion The response to 3 years of GH therapy did not differ based on the karyotype of TS patients although the initial Ht SDS was the lowest in the monosomy X group.