• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.367-379
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to understand and describe the caring experiences of spouses of elderly people with dementia. Methods: The hermeneutic phenomenological method was used and participants were 12 spouses aged 65 and over who were taking care of their husbands or wives with dementia at home. Data were collected from individual in-depth interviews on participants' actual caring experiences. Additionally, novels, movies, and memoirs on elderly couples with partner who had dementia were included as data for the analysis. The qualitative data analysis software program was used to manage and process the collected qualitative data. Data were analyzed using hermeneutic phenomenological analysis based on four fundamental existentials including lived body, lived space, lived time, and lived others. Results: Five essential themes emerged from the analysis: 1) body moving like an old machine, 2) swamp of despair filling with hope, 3) sweet time after bitterness, 4) disappointed elderly couple in the empty nest, and 5) unappreciation vs. empathetic feelings. These essential themes were comprehensively summarized as "the road leading to the maturation of life with dedication and hope while bearing the weight of caring based on the couple's relationship." Conclusion: The findings indicate that the nature of the caring experience of spouses of elderly individuals with dementia is filled with many dynamic and paradoxical dimensions. Thus, results of the study would help with developing interventions tailored specifically for elderly spouse caregivers to support their role adaptation and ultimately improving their quality of life.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.185-196
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• 1995

The purposes of this study are to identify effectiveness of the hospital-based home care project, to manage patients' problems in comprehensive way, to decrease the patients' economical burden to the arthritis patients. The design is nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design with matched samples in terms of age, sex and disease severity. Fifty two patients were assigned in each of the experimental and control groups in Seoul, Kyunggi, Kangwon and Kwangju. Before the experiment and after 3-month period of experiment of home care, level of pain, duration of morning stiffness, Richie Index, ADL, self-efficacy and depression were measured. Nine patients were excluded from the control group because of denial of participation. Contents of home care provided to the experimental group include distribution of prescribed drugs, assessment of patient's condition and side-reactions of drug, pain control, depression control, nutrition guide, exercise teaching, and family counselling. Patients assigned to the control group visited the outpatient clinic once a month as usual. Null hypotheses were selected because physicians concerned about the ineffective change of patients' conditions due to indirect communication with patients through nurses. Level of pain, Richie Index, ADL, self-efficacy, depression and duration of morning stiffness did not significantly different between two groups as expected. In the experimental group, level of pain, ADL, Richie Index and duration of morning stiffness changed to the positive direction from the pretest to the posttest. However, level of depression and self-efficacy did not show any changes. Ninety percent of patients in the experimental group satisfied with the home care provided to them. Since this is the intermediate report, more detailed and long-term report will be prepared.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.249-260
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the realities related with the in-home falls of the elderly and also the factors that affect on the fails. Method: The data collection was carried out from January 10 to 13, 2005. The subjects of this study were 201 in-home elderly people over age 60 who resided at G city of Jeollabuk-do. Result: The following are the results from the analysis of collected data with using the SPSS program. 1. The number of people who experienced fall injuries was 51.7% within three years. Most cases of falls occurred in winter (52.4%), on roads (52.9%), wearing sports shoes (56.7%), when walking (56.7%), loosing their balance (54.8%), and slipping (54.8%). 2. The factors yielding the difference between the groups of elderly with the experience of fail injury and the group of elderly with no experience of falls showed a statistical significance for gender (p=.000), last academic career (p=.049), and number of people in the family (p=.041). 3. Among the factors related with health, the factors yielding the difference between the group of elderly with the experience of falls and the group of elderly with no experience of fails showed statistical significance for drinking (p=.015), dizziness (p=.000) and level of drug intakes (p=.015). 4. The elderly with the experience of fall injury as compared with the group of aged people with no experience of falls showed a higher degree of depression (p=.009). 5. From the result of logistic regression analysis to explore the factors affecting the experience of fall injury, it was found that there was a significant result for gender (p=.002) and depression (p=.018). Women as compared with men and the elderly with depression showed a higher rate of danger in falls. Conclusion: Based on the above results, it is expected that fall prevention programs are needed with regard to the general characteristics and health related characteristics, that is, the individual danger factors should be focused on such depression and gender as being the most important variables affecting the experience of falls.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.371-381
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to develop the day care program for the demented elders and to determine the effects of multiple activity therapies on the physical, emotional, cognitive, social function and physiological indicators of dementia elders in day care center. Method: A total of 13 elders with mild dementia in the data care center were participated. Manual and guideline of data care program was developed. Data care program was composed of movement/exercise, foot massage, music therapy, horticultural therapy, and art therapy. Data care program was performed by trained intervener for 32 weeks. Instruments were physical functioning such as hand grip strength., vital capacity, chiar stand test, sit and reach test, one leg standing, Berg' Balance scale, 6m Walk Velocity, stair climb, ADL, GDS-K, MMSE-K, Integrative Social Functioning Scale, cortisol, Ig A and Ig G. These were measured at the baseline, 16-week, and 32-week post-intervention by the trained nurses. Data were analyzed as Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: For Hand grip, balance, and vital capacity, there was a significant difference between baseline and 16-week post-intervention(p<.05). For one leg standing, 6m velocity, there was a significant difference between 16-week post-intervention and 32-week post-intervention(p<.05). For Stair climb, there was a significant difference between baseline and 32-week post-intervention(p<.05). For depression and social functioning, there was no significant difference among baseline, 16-week, and 32-week post-intervention. For cognitive functioning, there was a significant difference between baseline and 32-week post intervention(p<.05). There was a significant difference of cortisol, and Ig G between baseline and 32-week post-intervention(p<.05). Conclusion: It would appear that physical fitness, functional performance, ADL, depression, social and cognitive functioning, and physiological indicator of community dwelling elders with dementia can be improved through day care program using multiple stimuli.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.582-593
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of a self-management program on patients with thyroid cancer, particularly during the time of waiting for surgery after cancer diagnosis. Psychological distress, biological responses of immune cell counts, and quality of life were the variables of this study. Methods: One group pre-post test design was used with the nature of a pilot study. Ten newly diagnosed thyroid cancer patients were recruited through physicians' referrals. After drop out of 4 participants, final data were collected from six participants. Small group technique, a one and half hour-session per week for one month (total 4 sessions, 6 hours) was used. Relaxation techniques, meditation training, and strategies to reduce distress were provided by researchers. Standardized questionnaires and an established bio-assay were used for collection of data. Results: Participants showed significant lowering of psychological distress (p<.05) and improvement in global quality of life (p<.05). Biological responses of immune cell counts did not show statistical significance. Conclusion: The self-management program may reduce psychological distress and improve quality of life of patients with thyroid cancer between the time of diagnosis and surgery. The self-management program would be a valuable approach for patients with an unexpected cancer diagnosis to prepare for their disease experience in a community setting.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.390-408
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• 2019

Purpose: This study is descriptive research that provides basic data to develop customized emergency education programs for strengthening the emergency coping ability of caregivers suitable for facility and home care services. Method: This study included 210 facility and 169 home care workers in S and G regions. Data collection was conducted from February 1, 2019 to March 5, 2019. The data was analyzed using a t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and Scheffe tests. Results: The emergency experience was higher in the facilities group, (90.5% in the facilities group and 70.4% in the home group), and there was a significant difference between the groups (t=25.03, p<.001). First aid knowledge was 10.41±2.81 in the facilities and 9.70±2.97 points in the home group, showing a difference between the groups (t=2.40, p=.017). The emergency coping ability was 60.57±4.76 points in the facility group and 57.53±4.18 points in the home group, which was higher in the facility group. There was a significant difference between the two groups (t=6.53, p<.001). The emergency education demand was 98.6% for the facilities group. Conclusion: These results highlight the need to develop and apply case-based emergency education suitable for the characteristics of the service and reflecting the educational needs of each type of service.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.437-444
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• 2008

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the relationships among physical symptoms, activities of daily living, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A stratified random sampling method was conducted to recruit participants from May 10 to August 17, 2007. Physical symptoms were measured using the Physical Health Questionnaire (PHQ), activities of daily living using the Late-Life Functional and Disability Instrument (LLFDI), and HRQoL using the Medical Outcomes Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) in 242 community-dwelling elderly Korean people. Results: The HRQoL correlates with the physical symptoms (r=-.31) and the function component (r=.59). Of the two disability parts of the LLFDI, the limitation dimension correlates higher (r=.57) with HRQoL than the frequency dimension (r=.42). The HRQoL is significantly associated with the function component, and disability limitation in capability which explained 44.4% of variance in physical health. Conclusion: These results may contribute to a better understanding of physical symptoms, activities of daily living, and HRQoL in community-dwelling older adults. Therefore, health programs for prompting older adult's health should be planned based on results of the study.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.651-662
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a sleep improvement program combined with an aroma-necklace on sleep, depression, anxiety, and blood pressure in elderly women living at home. Methods: A program consisting of a four-week (one hour per week) sleep improvement intervention plus use of an aroma-necklace, was developed based on Cox's Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior. 70 elderly women were assigned to the experimental (n=35) or control group with no intervention (n=35). Data from 62 participants (32 in the experimental and 30 in the control) were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0 program. Women in the experimental group were instructed to constantly wear the aroma necklace filled with marjoram and orange oil until the program was completed. Sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep satisfaction, depression, anxiety, and blood pressure were measured to identify the effectiveness of the program. Results: Significant group differences were found in sleep quality (t=-5.10, p<.001), sleep duration (z=-3.10, p=.002), sleep satisfaction (z=-4.13, p=<.001), depression (t=2.53, p=.015), and anxiety (z=-2.47, p=.014). No differences were found in the systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Conclusion: The results indicate that a sleep improvement program combined with an aroma-necklace was effective in improving sleep disturbances in elderly women living at home. Nurses may contribute to improving sleep among elderly women by applying this program to aged women living in various environments.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.347-357
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify patient safety awareness and emergency response ability and affecting factors perceived by nursing homes and home visiting caregivers. Methods: This study was a descriptive study that conveniently extracts nursing caregivers who care for elderly patients in S and G provinces, Korea. Data collection was done by structural questionnaires from April to May 2018. A total of 204 responses consisting of 103 nursing homes and 101 home visiting caregivers were used for data analysis in SPSS Win 22.0. Results: Patient safety awareness and emergency response ability of nursing homes caregivers with each $4.24{\pm}0.50$, $74.26{\pm}09.57$ was each higher than that of the home visiting caregivers with $3.68{\pm}0.49$, $68.02{\pm}12.12$ (p<.001). The affecting factors of the patient safety awareness were working place, safety education, and daily average working hours with 12 or more (F = 27.30, p<.001) and that of emergency response ability were number of patients per personnel with 9 or more and emergency situation experience (F=14.00, p<.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that it is necessary to develop a safety education program that can share indirectly experience emergency situations that occur on the job site.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.443-454
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of periodic reminding interventions on medication adherence, self-efficacy, and pain intensity for home-based lung cancer patients. Methods: A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group, pretest and posttest design was used. The intervention comprised of individual education by tailored image-combined medication instructions, daily reminding text message, and weekly telephone calls for four weeks. The subjects in this study consisted of 62 lung cancer patients (31 in the experimental group, and 31 in the control group). Mann-Whitney U-test was applied to analyze the data. Results: Experimental group who received periodic reminding intervention program better adhered to prescribed medication compared to the control group (z=-6.14, p<.001). Experimental group demonstrated higher level of self-efficacy compared to the control group (z=-6.74, p<.001). Experimental group experienced less intense average pain compared to the control group (z=-6.29, p<.001). Conclusion: The findings suggest that periodic reminding interventions can be applied as an effective nursing intervention to promote medication adherence and self-efficacy to improve and pain management for home-based lung cancer patients.