• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.13-25
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• 1997

Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA), a chronic and systemic inflammatory disorder, is characterized by joint pain, swelling and stiffness. Patients with RA suffer from joint pain and overall pain. The painful and disabling consequences of RA are accompanied by a variety of affective, cognitive, and behavioral changes. The purpose of this paper was to explore and describe the life experiences of RA patients by eliciting verbal description of their experiences. Participants were nine persons who were diagnosed with RA, and had had it for more than six months. They were asked open ended and descriptive questions in order for them to talk about their experiences in their on terms. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were analyzed by Colaizzi method. From the protocols, 213 significant statements about life experience were organized into 83 formulating meanings which were then grouped into five theme clusters. The major themes that emgerged from the analysis were' Emotional Disturbances', 'Trying to Adapt to the Progress of Disease', 'Progress of Treatment'. 'Change of Role Performances', 'Experiences related to Family'. The result of this study showed that RA patients and families need nursing care based on a deep understanding of their lived experiences in everyday life. Nurses and other health workers must develop rehabilitation programs that focus on the pain control, functional independence and psychosocial factors.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.207-212
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was to investigate the relationship between mastery and activity of daily life in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Method: The subjects for this study were 222 patients registered in H University Hospital Rheumatoid Arthritis Center, and the period of data collection was from August 15, 2003 to September 30, 2003. Reliability coefficients of instruments were found Cronbach's Alpha =.74~.94. In data analysis, SPSSWIN 10.0 program was utilized for descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Result: The results were as follows. 1) The range of total uncertainty scores was from 33 to 87 and the mean score of the uncertainty in rheumatoid arthritis patients was 63.27. 2) The range of total mastery scores was from 10 to 27 and the mean score of the mastery in rheumatoid arthritis patients was 18.70. 3) The range of total activity of daily life scores was from 22 to 80 and the mean score of the activity of daily life in rheumatoid arthritis patients was 72.56. 4) The level of mastery was significant correlation with activity of daily life(r=.395, p<.01).

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.31-38
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• 2013

Objectives This study is to report a case that has an effective result to oligoarticular type juvenile idiopathic arthritis patient with the oriental medicine treatment. Methods We treated the patient with an oriental medicine and tapered down with the DMARDs and NSAIDs. We followed up the laboratory blood tests every four or five months and throughout the experiment. Results The symptoms of oligoarticular type juvenile idiopathic arthritis were vanished and the patient maintained her good health condition with oriental medicine treatment after discontinued all Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) and NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs). Her ESR, CRP levels were stable in normal and other blood test results were back to normal range. Her joint mobility and condition was back to normal. Now she is in clinical remission status. Conclusions According to the result, the oriental medicine treatment is considered to be effective on the oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis and further studies will be needed with more cases.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.393-401
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• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a six week self-help empowerment strategy program on the empowerment status, pain intensity, physical function, joint flexibility and depression status in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Method: The subjects of the study consisted of a convenience sample thirteen rheumatoid arthritis patients. Data was collected from July to November, 2001. All patient received a self-help empowerment strategy program, once a week for six weeks. Result: After receiving the self-help empowerment strategy program, the empowerment status increased significantly, the pain intensity and the depression score decreased significantly and the level of physical function significantly improved but the flexibilities of shoulders, knees and ankles were not significantly changed. Conclusion: Further studies need to be done to determine the feasibility of implementing empowerment strategy and its possibility as an effective intervention program for decreasing pain intensity and depression score and improving the physical function.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.278-285
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was performed to verify the effect of Tai Chi exercise on patients with rheumatoid arthritis particularly their level of pain, fatigue, sense of balance and daily lift performance(ADL). Method: It employed a non-equivalent control group pre- and post-test design. The research instruments used in this study were pain, fatigue, sense of balance and ADL. Thirty-two patients in the experimental group carried out 50 minutes of Tai Chi exercise for 12 weeks, and 29 patients in the control group did not. Before and after the experiment, both groups were tested for pain, fatigue, sense of balance and ADL. Collected data were processed using the SPSS/WIN 10.0 program analyzed by the frequency, percentage, $x^2-test$, and t-test. Results: Pain and fatigue significantly decreased in the experimental group. However the improvement in ADL of the rheumatoid arthritis patients was not statistically significant but their sense of balance was enhanced significantly. Conclusion: Tai Chi exercise is an effective nursing intervention that can be used for rheumatoid arthritis patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.7-17
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of foot care education on foot pain, foot care compliance, and disability of daily living for people with rheumatoid arthritis involving the feet. Methods: This study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial. The participants were 49 patients, including 24 in the experimental group and 25 in the control group. The experimental treatment was the provision of foot care education leaflets and 20-minute 1:1 explanations of the content of the leaflet. After 2 weeks, foot care compliance was confirmed by phone call. The experimental effects were assessed by measuring changes in foot pain, foot care compliance, and disability of daily living using a pre test before the foot care education and a post test, 1 month after the foot care education. Results: Foot pain and disability of daily living in the experimental group decreased more than that of the control group. Foot care compliance in experimental group increased more than that of the control group. Conclusion: Results indicate that this foot care education program is an effective intervention to decrease foot pain and the disability of daily living, and increase the foot care compliance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis involving the feet.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.63-76
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in the level of ADL & QOL by family support in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The subjects of the study consisted of fifty-six outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis at a university hospital in Taegu. The instrument used in this study were the family support scale developed by Kang(1984), the ADL scale by Katz et al.(1970) and Barthel(1973), the QOL scale developed by Jo(1993). Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation, Chi-square, ANOVA with SPSS program. The major findings are as follows : 1. There was not significant differences in the level of ADL by family support in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis(F=.436, p=.649). 2. There was significant differences in the level of QOL by family support in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis(F=3.782, p=.029). This study showed that the higher level of family support contributed to the better level of QOL in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis. It is recommended to promote the level of family support of rheumatoid arthritis patients with low family support QOL.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.295-309
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• 1999

This study was done to Identify the relations between psychosocial factors and symptoms of patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Its subjects were 150 outpatients selected at H. Rheumatism clinic from July to August in 1998. Data were collected by means of questionnaires using interview. Those data were analyzed by Frequency, t-test, ANOVA, pearson's correlation using SPSS window 8.0. The results were as follows : 1) The level of family support was relatively high and the level of self-efficacy and performance of daily living activities were average. Among their symptoms, fatigue and pain were frequent problems. 2) Family support was different by educational level, self-efficacy and physical, psychological symptoms were different by performance of regular exercise. 3) The family support was inversely related to physical symptoms especially ADL, while it was not related to psychological symptoms except a reverse correlation between depression and anxiety, and family support. Self-efficacy held a reverse correlation with both physical and psychological symptoms. And there was a close relationship between symptoms. In conclusion it was found that the promotion of family support, self-efficacy and exercise-performance holds a key post in reducing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.110-119
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• 1998

In an effort to obtain preventive, diagnostic and therpeutic medical and exercise training information of rheumatoid arthritis as well as to provide pertinent data to be used in development of exercise program for the management of rheumatoid arthritis, this study was conducted by using literature review. Because RA is a disease that involves both joints and muscles, its activity in the different functional classes influences the patient's ability to exercise. A patient in Functional Class 1 may perform any type of exercise because the disease involvement has not yet reached major importance. Exceptions may include hard physical exercise, running, and individual racket sports. In almost all cases, bicycle exercise is possible. Patients in Functional Class 2 and a few in Class 3 can perform most types of exercise (especially cycling, walking, heated pool exercise and even jogging) in low activity phases of RA. Although a few patients in Functional Class 3 can walk, jog, and perform similar types of exercise, most persons in this class can swim or exercise on a bicycle if the type of exercise, its intensity, and its range of motion are modified according to the patient's anatomic and pathologic conditions. Most patients in Functional Class 4 are not able to carry out complicated movements. We conclude that physical training for persons with RA has physical, psychological, and social consequences that are clearly beneficial. We recommend training be one part of the many involved in the complicated treatment of RA.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.25-39
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• 2000

This study was conducted to compare symptoms, living activities, self-efficacy and family support between rheumatoid arthritis patients and fibromyalgia patients. The subjects were consisted of 150 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 125 fibromyalgia patients at H Rheumatism Clinic. Data were collected by means of structured interview with questionnaires. The results were as follows: 1. Fibromyalgia patients have more symptoms than rheumatoid arthritis patients have. But the latter has more difficulties concerning living activities. 2. Self-efficacy score of fibromyalgia arthritis patients was higher than that of rheumatoid arthritis patients, but both the scores were at moderate level. 3. The level of family support of rheumatoid arthritis patients was moderate, similar as that of fibromyalgia patients. As self-efficacy and family support are important factors to relieve symptoms of both diseases, their promotion holds a key post.