• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.463-470
• /
• 2020

This study was conducted to aid in the development of an infection control educational program for nurses, by assessing the knowledge and educational demand of nurses for MDRO infection control. Totally, 115 nurses participated in the study. Data were collected from November 15-30, 2019, using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, t-test, and ANOVA were applied for analyzing the data. Experience of caring for MDRO patients was reported by 86.1% nurses, whereas 67.8% nurses had received training on MDROs. The average score for knowledge on MDROs was 25.51 out of 27 points, with minimal correct answers given for the query on level of disinfection for medical equipment used by patients, criteria for the preemptive precaution, patient management in the cohort, and timing for removing personal protective equipment. The educational demand was highest for assignment to the precaution, criteria for screening examination, and management of outbreak. Also, educational needs differed with respect to the general educational characteristics and position of the individual. We propose the need to differentiate the educational status according to the career when developing the MDROs program, and the necessity to execute education of MDROs for new nurses and career nurses.

• KIPS Transactions on Software and Data Engineering
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.137-144
• /
• 2020

Delirium is among the most common mental disorders encountered in patients with a temporary cognitive impairment such as consciousness disorder, attention disorder, and poor speech, particularly among those who are older. Delirium is distressing for patients and families, can interfere with the management of symptoms such as pain, and is associated with increased elderly mortality. The purpose of this paper is to generate useful clinical knowledge that can be used to distinguish the outcomes of patients with delirium in long-term care facilities. For this purpose, we extracted the clinical classification knowledge associated with delirium using a local covering rule acquisition approach with the rough lower approximation region. The clinical applicability of the proposed method was verified using data collected from a prospective cohort study. From the results of this study, we found six useful clinical pieces of evidence that the duration of delirium could more than 12 days. Also, we confirmed eight factors such as BMI, Charlson Comorbidity Index, hospitalization path, nutrition deficiency, infection, sleep disturbance, bed scores, and diaper use are important in distinguishing the outcomes of delirium patients. The classification performance of the proposed method was verified by comparison with three benchmarking models, ANN, SVM with RBF kernel, and Random Forest, using a statistical five-fold cross-validation method. The proposed method showed an improved average performance of 0.6% and 2.7% in both accuracy and AUC criteria when compared with the SVM model with the highest classification performance of the three models respectively.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.93-104
• /
• 2015

Objectives: This study examined the correlation between the Scandinavian Stroke Scale (SSS) and the Motricity Index (MI) in acute cerebral infarction patients. Methods: We studied 75 inpatients within a month after the onset of cerebral infarction; patients were recruited from July 2012 to November 2013. We analyzed the correlation between changes in SSS and MI by pattern identification. Results: A significant moderate positive linear correlation was noted between SSS and MI in the total patient cohort and in a Fire-heat group, Dampness-phlegm group, Qi deficiency group, and Deficiency syndrome group. A significant strong positive linear correlation existed between SSS and MI in the Excess syndrome group. The Yin deficiency group showed a weak positive linear correlation, but it was not statistically significant. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the correlation between SSS and MI in acute cerebral infarction patients could differ depending on pattern identification.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.366-376
• /
• 2020

Purpose: To assess the association between birth weight and the development of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in the first year of life. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort multicenter study including neonates, consecutively enrolled at birth, and followed up for one year. At birth all infants were classified by birth weight as extremely low (ELBW), very low, or low when <1,000, <1,500, and <2,500 g, respectively, and by birth weight for gestational age as appropriate (AGA, weight in the 10-90th percentile), small (SGA, weight <10th percentile), and large (LGA, weight >90th percentile) for gestational age. FGIDs were classified according to the Rome III criteria and assessed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of life. Results: Among 1,152 newborns enrolled, 934 (81.1%) completed the study: 302 (32.3%) were preterm, 35 (3.7%) were ELBW, 104 (11.1%) were SGA, 782 (83.7%) were AGA, and 48 (5.1%) were LGA infants. Overall, throughout the first year of life, 718 (76.9%) reported at least one FGID. The proportion of infants presenting with at least one FGID was significantly higher in ELBW (97%) compared to LBW (74%) (p=0.01) and in LGA (85.4%) and SGA (85.6%) compared to AGA (75.2%) (p=0.0001). On multivariate analysis, SGA was significantly associated with infantile colic. Conclusion: We observed an increased risk of FGIDs in ELBW, SGA, and LGA neonates. Our results suggest that prenatal factors determining birth weight may influence the development of FGIDs in infants. Understanding the role of all potential risk factors may provide new insights and targeted approaches for FGIDs.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.235-241
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) is a widely used prognostic tool in patients with advanced cancer. This study examines the association between changes in PPS score and survival in patients with advanced cancer. Methods: We identified a cohort of 606 inpatients who died at a Korean university hospital's hospice/palliative care center. For each patient, the PPS score was measured twice according to a standard procedure: 1) upon admission, and 2) three days after admission (D3). "Change on D3" was defined as a difference between initial PPS and PPS on D3. We used a Cox regression modeling approach to explore the association between this score change and survival. Results: The changes in scores were associated with survival. A score change of >30% yielded a hazard ratio for death of 2.66 (95% CI 2.19~3.22), compared to a score change of ${\leq}30%$. PPS of ${\leq}30$ on D3 also independently predicted survival, with a hazard ratio of 1.67 (95% CI 1.38~2.02) compared to PPS of >30. Conclusion: A change of over 30% in PPS appears to predict survival in hospitalized patients with terminal cancer, even after adjustment for confounders. Changes in PPS may be a more sensitive indicator of impending death than a single PPS measured on the day of admission in terminal cancer patients. Further prospective study is needed to examine this important finding in other populations.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.75-83
• /
• 2018

Purpose: To provide effective palliative care, it is important to predict not only patients' life expectancy but their discharge status at a time of inpatient admission to a hospice care facility. This study was aimed to identify meaningful life expectancy indicators that can be used to predict patients' discharge status on admission to the facility. Methods: Among 568 patients who were admitted to the hospice ward of P hospital from April 1, 2016 through December 31, 2017, 377 terminal cancer patients were selected. This retrospective cohort study was performed by using performance status, symptoms and signs, socioeconomic status, laboratory findings on admission. Results: Alive discharge was associated with a good performance status that was measured with the Karnofsky and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scales and the Global health and Mental status. Less anorexia, dyspnea, dysphagia and fatigue were also associated with symptoms and signs. Associated laboratory findings were close to normal Complete Blood Cell (CBC) count, Liver Function Test (LFT) and Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), ECOG, Global health, Mental status, anorexia, dyspnea, dysphagia, fatigue, CBC, LFT, BUN are meaningful indicators when predicting discharge status for inpatients. Further investigation is warranted.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.181-185
• /
• 2008

Objectives : This study was performed to evaluate the reproducibility of a questionnaire concerned with reproductive history and to ascertain which characteristics of the subjects (age, the visit-revisit intervals, education and chronic disease) are associated with good reliability in the Korean Multi-Center Cancer Cohort (KMCC) study. Materials and Methods: A total of 19,688 participants were enrolled between 1993 and 2004. Among them, we selected 386 participants who were aged 40 or more and who re-visited within 8 years after the first visit. Reliability was measured by the percent agreement according to error range for the continuous variables and the percent agreement and kappa statistics for the categorical variables. Results : The pregnancy histories were reliable (kappa=0.67) and the reasons for being menopausal among the postmenopausal women were also reliable (kappa=0.92). The percent agreement of the breast-feeding history was high (96.1%), although the kappa statistic was low. For the continuous variables, when the error range of one variable was considered to be reliable, the percent agreement of the age at menarche and the age at the first full term pregnancy was good (69.4% and 83.6%), whereas that of the age at menopause was low (51.5%). The factors associated with high reliability were a younger age, the presence of chronic disease and a short visit-revisit time interval. Conclusions : The agreements for parity, the reasons for menopause, and the breastfeeding history in the reproductive history questionnaire used in the KMCC were relatively good. The questionnaire for the menarche age and the menopausal age might have lower reliability due to the difference between Korean age and American age. To obtain reliable information, more attention should be given to the items in questionnaire-based surveys, and especially for surveying old-aged women.

• Korea journal of population studies
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.63-90
• /
• 2003

This study aims to discover patterns of Korean women's life course in terms of their life time sequence of family roles and economic activity. Primary factors for the change and diversity of family-work role sequence are also examined. Data used in this study is the Fourth Survey of Korean Women's Economic Activity which was conducted by Korean Institute of Women Development (KIWD) in 2002. According to the main results, five distinctive patterns of life course are to be disentangled for ever married women: First, doing simultaneously family and work roles with no maternal leave (13.7%); second, reentry into labor market after maternal leave (M type, 18.6%); third, no reentry into labor market after maternal leave (latent M type, 26.9%); fourth, first job entry after child rearing (23.5%); and finally, no work experience (17.3%). The relative composition of the respective life course has changed over marriage cohorts. M type including latent M type became a dominant life pattern among married women since marriage cohorts of 1980 and later. The share of married women who begin to work first after maternal role or have no work experience has declined with recent marriage cohorts. It is also noted that the share of women with simultaneous family and work roles has increased among marital cohorts of 1990 and later. Marriage cohort differences being controlled, life patterns significantly differ by women's educational level, existence of role model of working mother at growth, women's own and husbands' gender role attitude, and family economy. Finally, some policy concerns for gender role division of family and work are raised.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.53-61
• /
• 2015

Objectives: An outbreak of food poisoning occurred among the baseball club students at a high school in Ulsan city in 2014. An epidemiological investigation was carried out to examine the infection source and the transmission route of pathogen, and to prevent a recurrence. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted for 26 male students and 2 food handlers. Rectal swabs were examined in 7 students and the 2 food handlers, and an environmental investigation was performed. A retrospective cohort study was used to evaluate the association between risk factors and disease. Results: The attack rate was 35.7% (10 persons/28 persons) from June 9 to 14, and Enterotoxigenic E. coli ST/LT was isolated from 7 among 28 persons. The study revealed that no food was a significant risk factor for the outbreak. There were no connection between environmental factors and the outbreak. Conclusions: The major risk factors for this outbreak were presumed to be the contaminated ice cube and ice making machines and eating ice cube from the machines. More strict personal and environmental hygiene need to be enforced to prevent such outbreaks.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.75-80
• /
• 2007

Purpose: To investigate the quality of training hospital based treatment, we evaluated the soft tissue sarcoma treatments afforded by general orthopedic surgeon rather than orthopedic oncologist. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the details of 25 patients with pathologically confirmed soft tissue sarcoma who registered in our hospital between July 1997 and 2006 September. We evaluated initial diagnoses, the surgical treatment (including adjuvant therapy) and the follow up method used and related these to the principles of soft tissue sarcoma treatment. Results: The study cohort comprised 16 men and 9 women of mean age of 50.2 years. A diagnostic biopsy was performed in 9(36%) cases before definitive surgical treatment. Wide excision was performed in 13(52%) cases. For the 12 cases in which the grade of sarcoma was estimated, adequate surgical treatment with adjuvant therapy was performed only in 4(33.3%) cases. In addition, an adequate follow up schedule was adopted in only 4(16%) of the 25 study subjects. Conclusion: Unexpectedly, many cases of soft tissue sarcoma were treated inadequately even in a training hospital. An intensive education program on the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma is necessary for all orthopedic surgeons.