Purpose: Adolescence involves parental health management, with parents or guardians often making decisions regarding vaccination. This study assessed how parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs about influenza vaccination influenced their intentions to vaccinate their adolescent children. Methods: This descriptive survey was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kyung Hee University for use between December 1 and 31, 2022. Parents of adolescents aged 13–19 years were surveyed face-to-face and online using a modified tool to evaluate their vaccination intentions, knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs regarding their children’s influenza vaccination. The analysis included 149 responses and involved methods such as calculating means, standard deviations, t-tests, analyses of variance, Scheffe tests, correlations, and hierarchical regressions. Results: On a 7-point scale, the mean score for parental intention to vaccinate their adolescents was 4.99±1.24. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that positive attitudes towards influenza vaccination, television and radio information, and perceived benefits influenced children’s vaccination intentions, with positive parental attitudes being the most significant factor. The independent variables accounted for 66.7% of the variance in vaccination intentions. Conclusion To improve parental intentions to vaccinate adolescent children against influenza, promoting vaccination benefits and safety through the media is crucial to enhance favorable attitudes. Initiatives that strengthen positive parental attitudes towards influenza vaccination and increase awareness of its benefits can effectively boost vaccination intentions.

Purpose: Adolescence involves parental health management, with parents or guardians often making decisions regarding vaccination. This study assessed how parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs about influenza vaccination influenced their intentions to vaccinate their adolescent children. Methods: This descriptive survey was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kyung Hee University for use between December 1 and 31, 2022. Parents of adolescents aged 13–19 years were surveyed face-to-face and online using a modified tool to evaluate their vaccination intentions, knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs regarding their children’s influenza vaccination. The analysis included 149 responses and involved methods such as calculating means, standard deviations, t-tests, analyses of variance, Scheffe tests, correlations, and hierarchical regressions. Results: On a 7-point scale, the mean score for parental intention to vaccinate their adolescents was 4.99±1.24. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that positive attitudes towards influenza vaccination, television and radio information, and perceived benefits influenced children’s vaccination intentions, with positive parental attitudes being the most significant factor. The independent variables accounted for 66.7% of the variance in vaccination intentions. Conclusion To improve parental intentions to vaccinate adolescent children against influenza, promoting vaccination benefits and safety through the media is crucial to enhance favorable attitudes. Initiatives that strengthen positive parental attitudes towards influenza vaccination and increase awareness of its benefits can effectively boost vaccination intentions.

Purpose: Adolescence involves parental health management, with parents or guardians often making decisions regarding vaccination. This study assessed how parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs about influenza vaccination influenced their intentions to vaccinate their adolescent children. Methods: This descriptive survey was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kyung Hee University for use between December 1 and 31, 2022. Parents of adolescents aged 13–19 years were surveyed face-to-face and online using a modified tool to evaluate their vaccination intentions, knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs regarding their children’s influenza vaccination. The analysis included 149 responses and involved methods such as calculating means, standard deviations, t-tests, analyses of variance, Scheffe tests, correlations, and hierarchical regressions. Results: On a 7-point scale, the mean score for parental intention to vaccinate their adolescents was 4.99±1.24. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that positive attitudes towards influenza vaccination, television and radio information, and perceived benefits influenced children’s vaccination intentions, with positive parental attitudes being the most significant factor. The independent variables accounted for 66.7% of the variance in vaccination intentions. Conclusion To improve parental intentions to vaccinate adolescent children against influenza, promoting vaccination benefits and safety through the media is crucial to enhance favorable attitudes. Initiatives that strengthen positive parental attitudes towards influenza vaccination and increase awareness of its benefits can effectively boost vaccination intentions.

Purpose: Adolescence involves parental health management, with parents or guardians often making decisions regarding vaccination. This study assessed how parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs about influenza vaccination influenced their intentions to vaccinate their adolescent children. Methods: This descriptive survey was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kyung Hee University for use between December 1 and 31, 2022. Parents of adolescents aged 13–19 years were surveyed face-to-face and online using a modified tool to evaluate their vaccination intentions, knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs regarding their children’s influenza vaccination. The analysis included 149 responses and involved methods such as calculating means, standard deviations, t-tests, analyses of variance, Scheffe tests, correlations, and hierarchical regressions. Results: On a 7-point scale, the mean score for parental intention to vaccinate their adolescents was 4.99±1.24. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that positive attitudes towards influenza vaccination, television and radio information, and perceived benefits influenced children’s vaccination intentions, with positive parental attitudes being the most significant factor. The independent variables accounted for 66.7% of the variance in vaccination intentions. Conclusion To improve parental intentions to vaccinate adolescent children against influenza, promoting vaccination benefits and safety through the media is crucial to enhance favorable attitudes. Initiatives that strengthen positive parental attitudes towards influenza vaccination and increase awareness of its benefits can effectively boost vaccination intentions.

With an increasing trend toward low birth rates and premature births, the importance of managing the health of high-risk infants has received constant emphasis. It is necessary to establish a family-centered care culture in neonatal intensive care units where high-risk infants are hospitalized. This study is intended to examine the current status of family-centered care and the direction of the role played by healthcare professionals, focusing on the characteristics of high-risk infants and their families. Healthcare professionals should listen to the needs of the family and facilitate their involvement to improve the performance of family-centered care and systematic support. Specific guidelines are required to strengthen the competence and leadership of healthcare professionals. The paradigm shift toward family-centered care for high-risk infants is a challenge for healthcare professionals and parents, but it will serve as a vision and strategy to improve the health of high-risk infants and their families by including the family in the healthcare process.

Objective: Dysphagia is a common clinical condition characterized by difficulty in swallowing. It is sub-classified into oropharyngeal dysphagia, which refers to problems in the mouth and pharynx, and esophageal dysphagia, which refers to problems in the esophageal body and esophagogastric junction. Dysphagia can have a significant negative impact one’s physical health and quality of life as its severity increases. Therefore, proper assessment and management of dysphagia are critical for improving swallowing function and preventing complications. Thus a guideline was developed to provide evidence-based recommendations for assessment and management in patients with dysphagia. Methods: Nineteen key questions on dysphagia were developed. These questions dealt with various aspects of problems related to dysphagia, including assessment, management, and complications. A literature search for relevant articles was conducted using Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and one domestic database of KoreaMed, until April 2021. The level of evidence and recommendation grade were established according to the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. Results: Early screening and assessment of videofluoroscopic swallowing were recommended for assessing the presence of dysphagia. Therapeutic methods, such as tongue and pharyngeal muscle strengthening exercises and neuromuscular electrical stimulation with swallowing therapy, were effective in improving swallowing function and quality of life in patients with dysphagia. Nutritional intervention and an oral care program were also recommended. Conclusion This guideline presents recommendations for the assessment and management of patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia, including rehabilitative strategies.

Purpose: Various intervention strategies are needed to reduce the suicide rate among late adolescents. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the factors that can help overcome suicidal tendencies in late adolescents from the perspective of case managers. Methods: This qualitative study explored the reinforcing factors that can help overcome suicidal behaviors in late adolescents, by conducting focus group interviews with case managers from the local community. Interviews with 10 case managers were recorded and transcribed, and the data were analyzed using the content analysis method. Results: The main theme of this study was “a step in a new direction”. Three categories were derived: “inner changes”, “another possibility opened up by the interest of significant others”, and “connecting with community resources to help overcome”. Each category had subcategories that influenced the intention and course of action of behaviors to overcome the suicide crises. Conclusion Our findings, from the exploration of the experiences of case managers, provide an in-depth understanding of the reinforcing factors for overcoming suicide among late adolescents. They provide useful preliminary data for the development of effective suicide prevention programs for the adolescents.

Cerebral ischemia exhibits a multiplicity of pathophysiological mechanisms. During ischemic stroke, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration rises to a peak during reperfusion, possibly underlying neuronal death. Recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) supplementation is one method of treating neurodegenerative disease by reducing the generation of ROS. We investigated the therapeutic effect of PEGylated EPO (P-EPO) on ischemic stroke. Mice were administered P-EPO (5,000 U/kg) via intravenous injection, and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by reperfusion was performed to induce in vivo ischemic stroke. P-EPO ameliorated MCAO-induced neurological deficit and reduced behavioral disorder and the infarct area. Moreover, lipid peroxidation, expression of inflammatory proteins (cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase), and cytokine levels in blood were reduced by the P-EPO treatment. In addition, higher activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) was found in the brain after MCAO, but NF-κB activation was reduced in the P-EPO-injected group. Treatment with the NF-κB inhibitor PS-1145 (5 mg/kg) abolished the P-EPO-induced reduction of infarct volume, neuronal death, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. Moreover, P-EPO was more effective than EPO (5,000 U/kg) and similar to a tissue plasminogen activator (10 mg/kg). An in vitro study revealed that P-EPO (25, 50, and 100 U/mL) treatment protected against rotenone (100 nM)-induced neuronal loss, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and NF-κB activity. These results indicate that the administration of P-EPO exerted neuroprotective effects on cerebral ischemia damage through anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting NF-κB activation.

Purpose: The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the health problems and coping experiences of middle-aged and elderly women in the community. Methods: A total of five focus group interviews were conducted with three groups of middle-aged and two groups of elderly women. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed using the content analysis method. Results: Health problems were categorized as confusion caused by problems that are difficult to handle alone in the middle-aged group and suffering originated by confronting changes in roles and environment in the elderly group. The health problems included stress, suffering, anxiety and social withdrawal as subcategories for the middle-aged women, and the stress, sense of loss, fear, and limited social activities caused by their life events for the elderly women. Meanwhile, the contents of categories about coping were revealed as the beginning of care for the body and mind for healthy life in the middle-aged group and active practice with insight into a healthy lifestyle in the elderly group. While the middle-aged women focused on themselves, attempted changes and started to take care of themselves, the elderly women interacted with the outside world, hardened their mind, made efforts for a dignified death, and managed health by their own methods. Conclusion There were differences in the experiences of middle-aged and elderly women in accepting their health problems and coping. Nursing interventions reflecting these findings can help to manage and promote the health of middle-aged and elderly women based on an integrated perspective.

BACKGROUND: S100A8 is differentially expressed in various cell types and is associated with a number of malignant disorders. S100A8 may affect tumor biology. However, its role in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is not well established. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the relationship between S100A8 and cutaneous SCC development. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemical staining to detect S100A8 expression in facial skin specimens of premalignant actinic keratosis (AK), malignant SCC, and normal tissues. In addition, we utilized postconfluence and high calcium-induced differentiation in a culture system model. Furthermore, we constructed a recombinant adenovirus expressing GFP-tagged S100A8 to investigate the role of S100A8 in SCC cell differentiation. RESULTS: S100A8 was significantly overexpressed in human cutaneous SCC compared to that in normal and AK tissues. S100A8 was gradually upregulated in SCC cells in a post-confluence-induced differentiation model. Overexpression of S100A8 in SCC cells induced by adenoviral transduction led to increased expression levels of differentiation markers, such as loricrin, involucrin, and filaggrin. S100A8 overexpression also increased loricrin and involucrin luciferase activity. CONCLUSION: S100A8 regulates cutaneous SCC differentiation and induces well-differentiated SCC formation in skin.
Adenoviridae ; Antigens, Differentiation ; Biology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Differentiation ; Humans ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Luciferases ; Skin