Search

Purpose: The aim of this paper was to determinate the factors that affect physical activity of community-dwelling elders. Methods: A cross-sectional approach was used to explore factors promoting physical activity. Participants were 203 individuals aged 65 years and over living in either the C or D cities. Each participant completed a questionnaire which included the Korean Version of Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (K-PASE), geriatric depression, fear of falling and mini mental state examination Data were collected from July, 20 to August, 30, 2015 and statistical analysis was used to examine the participant characteristics, physical activity differences according to characteristics, correlation between physical activity and research variables, and factors affecting the physical activity. Results: The mean score for K-PASE was 106.00±67.49. K-PASE showed significantly negative correlations with depression (r=-.16, p=.026) and fear of falling (r=-.31, p<.001) and a positive correlation with cognitive function (r=.37, p<.001). In regression analysis, factors influencing the physical activity were age, educational level and cognitive function. Explanatory rate of these factors for K-PASE was 21.0%. Conclusion: Findings from the study indicate that the physical activity programs should include intervention strategies to enhance cognitive function while considering age and education level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review journal articles, master's theses, and doctoral dissertations on self-leadership in nurses in order to identify overall trends in nursing self-leadership and to suggest strategies to improve self-leadership. Methods: Twenty-six papers on self-leadership in nurses were reviewed. Results: These papers were journal articles, master's theses, and doctoral dissertations regarding nurses who worked in general hospitals, university hospitals, and public health centers. Self-leadership was measured by using instruments developed by Manz (1983), Prussia, Anderson, & Manz (1998), and Houghton & Neck (2002). The instrument was composed of 18 items, with a 5-point Likert scale developed by Manz (1983) and modified by Kim (2002). Nurses' self-leadership was found to be related to job satisfaction, organizational commitment, nursing performance, and citizenship behavior. General characteristics of nurses, including age, education, marital status, position, and career, were also associated with self-leadership. Conclusion: The study findings provide data on recent trends in nurses' self-leadership. These results serve as basic data to provide a standard for developing self-leadership and indicate directions for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the current state of work-related musculoskeletal disorders of Korean farmers. Korean farmers are exposed to a multitude of ergonomic risk factors, and have high rates of musculoskeletal disorders such as backpain and knee osteoarthritis, while hip osteoarthritis is relatively low. As of 2010, the average age of Korean farmers is 62.3, and the average period of their work in agriculture is 33.3 years. Therefore, it is difficult to distinguish the influence of natural aging and farm work on the development of musculoskeletal disorders. It is necessary to conduct research on a correlation between specific diagnosis such as rotator cuff syndrome, and farm work in general because farmers complain of a great deal of pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute otitis media (AOM) is diagnosed in patients with acute onset of signs and symptoms of inflammation in the middle ear, accompanied by middle ear effusion. AOM is a common infectious disease in children, and its diagnosis and treatment can have significant impacts on the health of children. Current Concepts: The evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in Korea and other countries provide recommendations to primary care clinicians regarding the management of children with AOM. The treatment strategy for AOM depends on the patient's age, severity of symptoms, the presence of otorrhea, and the laterality. Discussion and Conclusion: For children aged from 6-months to 2-years with unilateral non-severe AOM and children aged 2 years or older with unilateral or bilateral non-severe AOM, the published guidelines provide the option of observation rather than immediate treatment with antibiotics. High-dose amoxicillin (80 to 90 mg a day) is the first-line antibiotic for treating AOM in patients without penicillin allergies. Children in whom symptoms persist after 48 to 72 hours of antibiotic treatment should be re-examined and amoxicillin/clavulanate should be used as second-line antibiotics. Careful follow-up is required to identify the complications and sequelae of AOM, and to determine the optimum treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the sleep quality of nurses in the comprehensive nursing care units of small-medium sized hospitals, and general and work-related characteristics associated with sleep quality of nurses. Methods: Participants were 312 nurses in comprehensive nursing care units of eight small and medium hospitals. The data were collected between June and August, 2018. A survey questionnaire including, sleep quality, general, and work-related characteristics of nurses was used. The data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 23.0 program with descriptive statistics, independent t-test, and χ² test. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with sleep quality. Results: The average score for sleep quality was 8.58±3.18 (0~21). Using a cut-off point of 8.5, 51.9% were poor sleepers. Sleep quality was associated with age (Odds Ratio [OR]=0.93, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=0.88~0.99). Conclusion: Age was identified as a factor associated with sleep quality among nurses in the comprehensive nursing care units at small and medium sized hospitals. Researchers and nurse administrators need to develop and provide strategies to improve young nurses' sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors associated with the supportive care needs of gynecologic cancer patients, and to provide basic data for patient-centered care. Methods: The data were collected from 153 patients with ovarian/cervix/uterine cancer in 2016. For the data collection, the Korean version of the Supportive Care Needs Scale-gyne and electronic charts were used. T-test, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The standardized scores for the supportive care needs of patients ranged from 19.45 to 35.66. The supportive care need in the psychological domain was the highest, followed by the emotional, physical, and information domains. The ten highest frequency items consisted of 5 items in information, 3 in psychological, 1 item each in the emotional and spiritual domain. Patients under 45 years old have more fear about treatment and disability, and uncertainty about their future. College graduates had higher needs for information about support groups and self-care. Patients with recurrence felt more bored and meaningless. Conclusion: Patients with gynecologic cancer have various supportive care needs according to their characteristics. In order to fulfil their needs, a more intensive and patient-centered individualized approach based on the patient's characteristics should be introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify gender and age differences in health status and health behaviors of community-dwelling older adults in an urban city. Methods: A convenience sample of 500 older people were recruited. Participants completed eight study instruments by face to face interview. The instruments were the Korea Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (K-IADL), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Body Mass Index (BMI), Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form, Stanford Research Instruments for Chronic Disease, Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korea version, EuroQol-5 Dimensions scale (EQ-5D), and the Study of Osteoporotic Fracture Frailty Index. Results: 71.6% were females and mean age of all participants was 74.4 years. Participants were divided into three age groups: 60 to 74 years (n=263, 52.6%), 75 to 84 years (n=207, 41.4%), and ≥85 years (n=30, 6.0%). Significant gender differences were found in educational level, marital status, family type, religion, perceived economic status, K-IADL, SPPB, grip strength, BMI, fatigue, smoking, drinking, communication with physicians and nurses, and EQ-5D. There were significant differences among the three age groups on educational level, marital status, family type, SPPB, grip strength, regular health check-up, communication with physicians and nurses, and frailty. Conclusion: Gender difference should be taken into consideration more than age when policy and preventive programs for community-dwelling older adults in an urban city is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the job of emergency room (ER) nurses working in small and medium sized hospitals and to explore factors affecting their job. Methods: The survey data were collected between January 2014 and May 2014 and participants were 159 nurses working in Seoul, Kyunggi, Incheon, and Chungnam in hospitals of less than 500 beds. Results: The score for nurses job was 2.12/4.0, and emergency treatment (1.87/4.0) followed basic nursing (3.51/4.0) and counseling (2.32/4.0). The nursing job was significantly different depending on the age, education level, position, resident doctor(emergency medicine specialty or other) and grade of ER (regional ER or local ER). In the multiple regression, education level (β=.18), position (β=.24), hospital size (β=.20), and grade of ER (β=.21) explained 17.0% of variance in ER nurses' job in small and medium sized hospitals. Conclusion: The findings indicate that ER nurses in vulnerable areas do more nursing practice including emergency treatment as well as the usual independent nursing practice. Accordingly, a systematic assignment of nursing professionals is needed to reduce loading of ER nurses in small and medium sized hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine nurses' experience of workplace incivility from coworkers, supervisors, patients or patients' families, and doctors. The researcher identified the relationships among empowerment, burnout, and organizational commitment of hospital nurses. Methods: The sample included 415 hospital nurses. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. Results: The average incivility score was 2.94 from doctors and 2.89 from patients or patients' families, higher than from supervisors (1.90) and coworkers (1.87). The variables affecting burnout included direct effect of empowerment (β=-.46, p<.001), direct effect of patients or patients' family incivility (β=.14, p<.001), direct effect of supervisor incivility (β=.12, p<.001), and direct effect of doctor incivility (β=.09, p<.001). The variables affecting organizational commitment were direct effect of burnout (β=-.58, p<.001), indirect effect of empowerment (β=-.23, p<.001), indirect effect of patients or patients' family incivility (β=-.12, p<.001), indirect effect of supervisor incivility (β=-.10, p<.001), and indirect effect of doctor incivility (β=-.09, p<.001). Conclusion: The results indicate that incivility affecting nurses results in a high degree of burnout and a low degree of organizational commitment. Therefore, it is necessary to assess incivility cases and to hold workshops designed to curb incivility and establish healthy workplaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify aging anxiety and influencing factors of middle-aged adults. Methods: Descriptive correlation design was used. Three hundred and three middle-aged adults participated in the study and completed the questionnaires in the period from September 11 to October 15 of 2011. The data was analyzed using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hier-archial multiple regression analysis. Results: Aging anxiety of middle-aged adults was higher than a moderate level. Socio-demographic variables such as age, religion, education, economic level, perceived health status and experience of living with older adults influenced significantly on aging anxiety. In contrast, general self-efficacy, aging knowledge and attitude toward older adults were negatively correlated with aging anxiety. Hierarchial multiple regression analysis incorporating these variables showed an explanation rate of aging anxiety at 21%. And religion, perceived health status, attitude toward older adults, and general self-efficacy were statistically significant among variables that influence on aging anxiety. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that senior preparation programs that can enhance self-efficacy, induce positive attitude on older adults and promote health should be implemented to reduce aging anxiety of middle-aged adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]