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Purpose: This study was done to examine the relation of uncertainty, uncertainty appraisal, and self-management in patients undergoing hemodialysis, and to identify factors influencing self-management., Methods: A convenience sample of 92 patients receiving hemodialysis was selected. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and medical records. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlations and multiple regression analysis with the SPSS/WIN 20.0 program., Results: The participants showed a moderate level of uncertainty with the highest score being for ambiguity among the four uncertainty subdomains. Scores for uncertainty danger or opportunity appraisals were under the mid points. The participants were found to perform a high level of self-management such as diet control, management of arteriovenous fistula, exercise, medication, physical management, measurements of body weight and blood pressure, and social activity. The self-management of participants undergoing hemodialysis showed a significant relationship with uncertainty and uncertainty appraisal. The significant factors influencing self-management were uncertainty, uncertainty opportunity appraisal, hemodialysis duration, and having a spouse. These variables explained 32.8% of the variance in self-management., Conclusion: The results suggest that intervention programs to reduce the level of uncertainty and to increase the level of uncertainty opportunity appraisal among patients would improve the self-management of hemodialysis patients. more...

Purpose: This study was done using meta-analysis to examine 58 studies from studies published in the past eight years (2000 to 2007) that included variables related to adolescents' suicidal ideation., Methods: The materials for this study were based on 32 variables which were selected from masters' thesis, doctoral dissertation and articles from Journals of the Korean Academy of Nursing., Results: The classification consisted of 5 variables groups and 32 variables. In terms of effect size on risk, variables which were significant included psychological variables (0.668), socio-cultural variables (0.511), family environmental variables (0.405), school environmental variables (0.221), and personal characteristics variables (0.147). In terms of effect size on protection, variables which were significant included personal characteristics variables (-1.107), psychological variables (-0.526), family environmental variables (-0.264), and school environmental variables (-0.155). In terms of effect size on risk variables, psychological variables (0.668) were highest. In terms of effect size on protective variables, the variable of personal characteristic (-1.107) was the highest., Conclusion: While the results indicate possible risk and protective variables for suicidal ideation, but prediction is still difficult. Further study to compare adolescents with similar variables but no suicidal ideation and those with suicidal ideation is necessary. more...

Purpose: This study was done to test the validity and reliability of the Adolescent Mental Problem Questionnaire (AMPQ) for Korean high school students., Methods: The AMPQ was designed to assess adolescents' mental health status and problem behavior (Ahn, 2006). A methodological study design was used with exploratory factor analysis, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and a fitness of the modified model for validity. Also, Cronbach's alpha coefficients and alternative-form method for reliability were used. AMPQ was tested with a sample of 36,313 high school students. The participants consisted of 18,701 males and 17,612 females., Results: Seven factors were extracted through factor analysis: 'Psychiatric problems', 'Delinquency', 'Academic troubles', 'Family problems', 'Hazardous behavior', 'Harmful circumstance', 'Eating problems'. These factors explained 51.1% of the total variance. The fitness of the modified model was good (X(2)=38,413.76, Goodness of Fit Index [GFI]=.94, Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index [AGFI]=.93, Comparative Fit Index [CFI]=.95, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA]=.05), and concurrent validity with Korea-Youth Self-Report [K-YSR] was .63. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the 31 items was .85., Conclusion: The results of present study suggest that the modified AMPQ instrument may be useful for efficiently assessing mental health status and problem behavior in late adolescent, high school students. more...

Purpose: Guided by Newman's theory of health as expanding consciousness, this study was done to explore the health experience of adolescents having depression., Methods: The researcher engaged in six to eight in-depth interviews with six adolescents. To begin the dialog, the researcher asked each participant to recount the first important memory he/she had. All the narrative and diagram sharing between the researcher and participants were summarized according to recognized patterns and later elaborated in following interviews based on Newman's praxis methodology., Results: The significant individual pattern of early health experience was during the binding stage. At the turning point, individual patterns for participants revealed a personal journey of self-discovery and then emergence of reflecting behaviors. After the turning point, the participants changed as they evolved from the initial period of disruption and disorganization to organization at a higher level. The results suggest that adolescents who are depressive find new ways of relating to friends, family, healthcare providers, and the community by expanding their consciousness., Conclusion: Newman's praxis methodology is a good way of helping and studying adolescents with depression because it emphasizes participant-nurse/researcher partnership and pattern recognition as nursing practice. more...

The subcommittee on the Assessment of Korean Gastroenterology Research Achievements of the Korean Society of Gastroenterology (KSG) conducted a survey of SCI papers in the fields of gastroenterology to evaluate the current status of Korean gastroenterology research. A total of 4,260 papers were confirmed as gastroenterology papers published by researchers affiliated with Korean medical institutions during the 1974-2006 periods. Among those 4,260 papers, 2,373 papers were authored by the members of the KSG. The first Korean gastroenterology SCI paper was published in 1981 and the Korean SCI gastroenterology publication output dramatically increased since 1995. Sixty three institutions published SCI papers and 14 institutions published more than 100 SCI papers. Sixteen members of KSG published more than 20 SCI papers as reprint authors. Ninety percent of Korean gastroenterology papers was cited at least once. KSG member reprint author papers were cited an average of 4.1 times within 3 years after publication. Korean gastroenterology research achievements over the last 30 years show a remarkable growth in terms of quantity and quality. The KSG members have played central roles in these progresses, and it is anticipated that they will continue to do so in the future. more...

Unlabelled: Hwa-Byung(HB) has been categorized as a Korean culture-bound syndrome that is prevalent in married women of low socioeconomic status., Purpose: The Purpose of the study was to search for the essence of HB and a caring-healing process of HB. Then the research result discusses whether the Transpersonal Caring-Healing Model has been congruent with it., Method: Case examples resulted from in-depth telephone counseling over a period of time at the Women's Hot Line with a client who is a housewife with HB. The counseling content was analyzed through Giorgi's method of descriptive phenomenology., Result: The core meaning of the essence of HB was 'injustice'; and essential themes were 'lack of reciprocity', 'infidelity' 'suppressed aggression and powerlessness' and 'need for recognition'. The core meaning of the essence of the caring-healing process was 'caring-healing experience (maintaining a trust relationship)'; and essential themes were 'active listening', 'empathy' and 'forming a therapeutic relationship'. According to Watson, 'active listening', 'empathy' and 'forming a therapeutic relationship' were identified as intentionality, intersubjectivity and transpersonal., Conclusion: Transpersonal caring can release inner power and strength and help the person to gain a sense of inner harmony. Transpersonal caring is as important to healing as are conventional treatment approaches and even more powerful in the long run. more...

Purpose: While most psychiatrists diagnose Hwa-Byung as a chronic psychogenic disorder associated with familial, financial and personality, the purpose of study was to shed light on the nature of Hwa-Byung through pragmatics. Hwa-Byung is characterized as 'Hwa' which means fire 'Byung' which means disease. This condition cannot be empirically experienced, rather it is represented by suffering internally (in the mind). It also could find an aspect of somatization, and self-diagnosing., Method: As patients themselves diagnose Hwa-Byung, pragmatical approach was taken to analyze the context of the learning through their communication with others. The case examples resulted from in-depth telephone counseling with a client who is housewife with Hwa-Byung over a period of time at the Women's Hot Line., Result: The study showed that the client experienced continuous improper attacks by her husband. She expressed improperness by applying her personal emotions to social-justice reasoning., Conclusion: 'Hwa' means lack of mutual intimacy in this research. By expressing this 'Hwa', the client would like to recover mutual intimacy with her husband. more...

There has been no report on human infection of Hymenolepis diminuta in Korea until the first 3 cases were reported by our members after the identification of those eggs in stool in 1964. However, the distinct differentiation between H. diminuta and H. nana would often be difficult by the shape of eggs without adult worm. In 1965, authors found the additional case revealed the eggs in stool and succeeded to obtain three adult worms of H. diminuta from 10 years old boy in Pusan. The characteristic morphology of egg and adult worm were discussed to compare to those of H. nana. Conclusively, the first human infection of H. diminuta in Korea was reported after the identification both the eggs and adults worms more...