PURPOSE: This study tries to examine the effects of hand moxibustion and press pellet by applying them to male manufacturing workers with low back pain, and use them to develop nursing interventions for workers. METHODS: The data were collected from August to October, 2018, and the subjects were 60 men, processed by using SPSS/WIN 21.0 to perform homogeneity test with χ²-, t-, and hypothesis tests with repeated measures, ANOVA and Scheffé test. RESULTS: Hypothesis 1 that “the experimental group provided with hand moxibustion and hand press pellet would give lower scores for low back pain than the control group” was supported (F=78.71, p<.001). Hypothesis 2 that “the experimental group provided with hand moxibustion and hand press pellet would have a wider range of motion than the control group” was also supported (F=17.44, p<.001). Hypothesis 3 that “the experimental group provided with hand moxibustion and hand press pellet would give lower scores for depression than the control group,” again, was supported (F=16.95, p<.001). CONCLUSION: Hand moxibustion and hand press pellet are effective in relieving low back pain for male workers, in increasing the range of motion, and in decreasing depression.
Depression ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Low Back Pain ; Male ; Moxibustion ; Nursing ; Range of Motion, Articular

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of a community-based palliative care project conducted in Busan city, Korea, from 2013 to 2015. METHODS: We selected four outcome indices based on the project's outcomes derived from a logic model and used a longitudinal and cross-sectional comparative design approach depending on the outcome index. RESULTS: The utilization rate of palliative care increased from 9.2% in 2012 to 41.9% in 2015. Regarding symptom changes in 65 patients receiving palliative care at 3 and 6 months (mean age = 72 years, standard deviation = 9.64, 55.4% women), pain, anxiety, and depression had improved. Quality of life was higher among palliative care patients compared with patients who did not receive palliative care (t = 2.09, p = .039). Regarding recognition of palliative care, civil servants at public health centers who participated in the pilot project (2013–2014) scored higher than those at public health centers who began participation in 2015 (t = 2.67, p = .008). CONCLUSION: This is the first study in Korea that systematically evaluated community-based palliative care. The Busan Community-based Palliative Care Project improved the quality of life of palliative care patients by providing services at an appropriate level and by raising the recognition of palliative care in the community. To increase the utilization ratio of palliative care and the quality of service, strategies should be developed to supplement medical support systems.
Anxiety ; Busan* ; Depression ; Humans ; Korea* ; Logic ; Palliative Care* ; Pilot Projects ; Public Health ; Quality of Life

PURPOSE: A feasible palliative care model for advance cancer patients is needed in Korea with its rapidly aging population and corresponding increase in cancer prevalence. This study describes the process involved in the development of a community-based palliative care (CBPC) model implemented originally in a Busan pilot project. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The model development included steps I and II of the pilot project, identification of the service types, a survey exploring the community demand for palliative care, construction of an operational infrastructure, and the establishment of a service delivery system. Public health centers (including Busan regional cancer centers, palliative care centers, and social welfare centers) served as the regional hubs in the development of a palliative care model. RESULTS: The palliative care project included the provision of palliative care, establishment of a support system for the operations, improvement of personnel capacity, development of an educational and promotional program, and the establishment of an assessment system to improve quality. The operational infrastructure included a service management team, provision teams, and a support team. The Busan Metropolitan City CBPC model was based on the principles of palliative care as well as the characteristics of public health centers that implemented the community health projects. CONCLUSION: The potential use of the Busan CBPC model in Korea should be explored further through service evaluations.
Aging ; Busan* ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Korea* ; Palliative Care* ; Pilot Projects ; Prevalence ; Public Health* ; Social Welfare

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at analyzing the characteristics and symptoms in home-based hospice-palliative care (HBHPC) patients registered at local public health centers. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed; Data of 144 HBHPC patients registered at six public health centers in Pusan City were analyzed, including their initial visit records (registration cards, initial pain evaluation and symptom evaluation). RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 67.7 years old. Among all, 46.2% of the patient lived alone, and 65% had middle school education or lower. The most popular (36.3%) religion was Buddhism, and 47.5% received medical assistance from the government. The most frequent diagnosis was lung cancer followed by stomach cancer and liver cancer in that order. Of all, 48.9% were functionally too weak to lead a daily life, 39.6% were under cancer treatment when registered at the public health center, and 84.5% were aware of the fact that they have reached the terminal phase. Moreover, 83.6% complained about pain, and the pain level was moderate or severe in 36.5% of them. Besides pain, fatigue was the most complained symptom (84.7%), and 49.3% of them rated their fatigue as moderate or severe. CONCLUSION: Most of the HBHPC patients were socio-economically underprivileged and complained about moderate or worse pain and symptoms. Therefore, it appears necessary to develop an integrated strategy that is tailored for each patient reflecting their characteristics.
Buddhism ; Busan ; Diagnosis ; Education ; Fatigue ; Home Care Services ; Hospice Care ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; Lung Neoplasms ; Medical Assistance ; Public Health* ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine posttraumatic growth (PTG) in family caregivers of patients with cancer. METHODS: Participants included 201 family caregivers of cancer patients who are treated at outpatient clinics and oncology wards of a university hospital and two general hospitals in Busan, Korea. The study instrument was the Korean version of the posttraumatic growth inventory (K-PTGI). Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t test, one-way ANOVA and Scheffe's test using the SPSS 21 for Windows. RESULTS: The mean score of PTG was 3.10. The factor with the highest score was "Changes to self-perception" (3.15), while the one with the lowest was "Increase in spiritual interest" (2.88). There were significant differences in PTG, depending on age, religion, importance of religious life and perceived level of daily difficulties. CONCLUSION: Family caregivers also experience PTG when their loved ones are diagnosed with cancer. According to these findings, it is necessary to develop a spiritual nursing program to help family caregivers growth from the experience of attending patients with cancer.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Busan ; Caregivers* ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Love ; Nursing

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of posttraumatic growth and meaning in life on health promotion behavior in cancer patients. METHODS: The participants were 124 cancer patients who were treated at a general hospital in Pusan. Data were collected for posttraumatic growth, meaning in life, and health promotion behavior. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS 21.0. RESULTS: The mean scores were health promotion behavior 2.72+/-0.47, posttraumatic growth 3.38+/-0.89, and meaning in life 3.29+/-0.59. The scores of health promotion behavior were significantly different by gender, perceived economic status, and economic difficulties due to diagnosis. Health promotion behavior had a significant correlation with posttraumatic growth and meaning in life. In multiple regression analysis, meaning in life and posttraumatic growth accounted for 26.0% of health promotion behavior. CONCLUSION: Posttraumatic growth and meaning in life were important factors that could be used to improve the health promotion behavior of cancer patients.
Busan ; Diagnosis ; Health Promotion* ; Hospitals, General ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study was a part of a drive to develop a community health center-based hospice management model which is concerned with hospice care at a community health care setting and available resources of the local community. METHODS: Development of a community health center-based hospice management model involved evaluation of existing hospice-related research, including literature review, and research on hospice facilities at the study site, as well as evaluation of model operation. The latter involved community health center-based hospice test operation, and evaluation of test operation by a research team, including of a nursing professor majoring in hospice care and staffs from a community health center in Busan metropolitan city, regional cancer center, and regional terminal cancer patient medical institute. The study was conducted in the 2008 calendar year. RESULTS: The community health center-based hospice management model provides service linked with local community resources, focusing on the local community health center. Financial and administrative assistance is provided by the regional cancer center, with collaboration from academic health care professionals who guide the operation management. The community health center hospice nurse in consultation with a visiting nurse team registers terminally-ill cancer patients and, after assessment, the hospice team prioritize hospice care during team meeting. Care is delivered by staffs and volunteers. CONCLUSION: The developed community health center-based hospice operation management model maximally utilizes available community health resources to produce qualitative improvement of regional health and welfare policy through improving the lives of home-based cancer patients and their family who are in medical blind spot.
Community Health Centers ; Community Health Nursing ; Community Health Services ; Cooperative Behavior ; Delivery of Health Care ; Health Resources ; Hospice Care ; Hospices ; Humans ; Models, Organizational ; Optic Disk ; Organization and Administration ; Pilot Projects

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the level of resilience to burnout and work satisfaction of hospice volunteers. METHODS: Participants included 235 regular volunteers at hospice facilities of two university hospitals and four general hospitals located in Busan. The study instruments were the scale of resilience to burnout and work satisfaction. The scale of resilience to burnout consisted of six dimensions (professional competency, accomplishment and worthiness, firm belief and value about their profession, good teamwork, support by their agency, and individual resources) and 31 items which were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, whereas the scale of work satisfaction consisted of 6 items which were rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Tukey and Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The mean score of resilience to burnout and work satisfaction of participants were 3.59 and 3.69, respectively. The highest and lowest scores of resilience to burnout were individual resources (3.81) and accomplishment and worthiness (3.36). There were significant differences in resilience to burnout scores, depending on religion, health status, type of hospice facilities, and period of volunteer experience. There were significant differences in work satisfaction scores, depending on gender, religion, education level, health status, and type of hospice facilities. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous education and efficient management need to be developed to improve the level of resilience to burnout and work satisfaction of hospice volunteers.
Hospices ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, University ; Job Satisfaction

The purpose of this survey was to obtain information on the prevalence, costs, and patterns of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a general population in the Republic of Korea. In 2006, we conducted nationwide and population- weighted personal interviews with 6,021 adults ranging from 30 to 69 yr of age; the final sample consisted of 3,000 people with a 49.8% response rate. In addition to their general socio-demographics, the respondents were asked about their use of CAM during the previous 12-month period, costs, sources of information, and reasons for use. The prevalence of use overall was 74.8%, while biologically based CAM therapies were the most likely type of use (65.4%). The median annual out-of-pocket expenditures for CAM therapies was about US$203. The primary reason for using CAM was for disease prevention and health promotion (78.8%). The main source of advice about CAM therapies use was most likely to be from family and friends (66.9%). Our study suggests that CAM use has been and continues to be very popular in South Korea. Conventional western medical doctors and governments should obtain more evidence and become more interested in CAM therapies.
Adult ; Aged ; *Complementary Therapies/economics/statistics & numerical data ; Demography ; Family ; Female ; Friends ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Population Groups

BACKGROUND: In order to achieve a maintenance level and to prevent hemorrhagic complications, regular monitoring of the INR is mandatory for patients on oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT). A point-of-care instrument for INR monitoring is convenient for users, but the accuracy of the results has been controversial, and so this calls for exact evaluation of the point-of-care instrument that is used for INR monitoring. METHODS: From Aug 2007 through Feb 2008, 85 patients on OAT among the all the patients who were admitted to Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital were involved in this study. Parallel measurements of the PT INR were performed using a CoaguChek-XS and, a CA-7000 laboratory reference instrument and the results were analyzed. In addition, the patients' clinical data, including the diagnosis and the frequency and interval of the INR measurements, were also analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 85 patients, 25 were admitted more than once to undergo INR testing and the mean interval between testing was 8.6 weeks with 39% and 38% of the tests being less than INR 2 units with using the CoaguChek-XS and the reference method, respectively. The coefficients of variation of CoaguChek-XS were 4.50 and 2.45 for the high and low INR patients, respectively. An excellent correlation was found between the two methods with a R2 of 0.966 (p<0.001). Through Bland-Altman analysis, the mean INR difference between the two methods was 0.13 with the limit of agreement being -0.47 +0.72 with a 95% confidence interval. CoaguChek-XS was shown to overestimate the INR value for patients with an increasing INR, as compared to the reference method. CONCLUSION: CoaguChek-XS demonstrated great precision and accuracy for patients on OAT when compared to the laboratory INR results. Accordingly, the instrument should help to monitor the INR in the patients on OAT.
Avena ; Humans ; International Normalized Ratio ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Prothrombin ; Prothrombin Time