• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2000

The aims of this study are to evaluate the quality of hospital food services and the evaluate the quality in selected hospitals trough the use of the questionnaires. A survey of 30 hospital food and nutrition service department was undertaken and detailed information was collected from each, including, surveys of 1, 016 patient. Statistical data analysis was completed using the SAS/win 6.11 package for descriptive analysis, t-test X$^2$-test ANOVA principal component analysis , and cluster analysis and cluster analysis. In the case of patient satisfaction with hospital food and food services, overall satisfaction scores of male and female were 3.54 and 3.45 showing higher levels than the average score(3.00) The aspect of the food and food service which received the lowest ratings by patients was 'meal rounding while dining'. After conduction of factor analysis of variables affecting the patients meal satisfaction 3 groups including the 'menu satisfaction factor', 'service satisfaction factor ' and 'nutrition management satisfaction factor ' were selected. 3 clusters were categorized by the 'service cluster' 'nutrition management cluster', 'men cluster', and 'menu nutrition service cluster' after conducting a cluster analysis with influencing variables affecting patients meal satisfaction. The overview results of patient satisfaction by cluster were : in the case of the service group, such factors as taste, portion size, dealing with complaints while dining meal rounding while dining should be managed with caution In case of the nutrition management group, such factors as taste, portion size, temperature of the food intake, and dependence on hospital food should be managed with care, In the case of the menu groups, such factors as punctuality of meal times, contaminated substances in meals and serving mistakes, cleanliness of dishes, kindness of the server meal rounding while dining should by particularly managed with importance.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.312-323
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• 1998

Background : Evaluation of patient's satisfaction is one of the most important aspects of quality improvement. If the patient highly satisfies with the medical service provided in the hospital, he/she will be likely to visit the same hospital again. Patient's satisfaction of a particular hospital is directly correlated with hospital profits as well as reputation in the community. For this reason, various kinds of survey measuring satisfaction level have been performed and many kind of QI activities for enhancing the profits as well as reputation in the community. For this reason, various kinds of survey measuring satisfaction level have been performed and many kind of QI activities for enhancing the patient's satisfaction. This study is to find the effect of hospital QI activities on the patent's satisfaction level. Methods: After questionnares were developed, survey of measuring satisfaction level was performed in August, 1998. On the basis of survey results, QI activities were carried out to attain the target point of 4.0 and subsequent survey was done in November, 1998. Results: With three main principles of "problem solving approach with kindness". "helping patient to participate in medical procedure with sufficient information", and "putting employees into practice of attitude with human respect", the average level of satisfaction was enhanced from 3.45 to 3.55 level. Also kindness level of employees was increased from 3.71 to 3.82. Level of dissatisfaction about insufficient explanation and unkind attitude was dropped from 69% to 48% and from 82% to 46% respectively. Conclusion: With the result of this study overall satisfaction level was enhanced. In order to keep these advantages a operation of Quality Improvement Task Force Team in each subject will be required.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2731-2737
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• 2015

Background: The majority of deaths from cancer occur in low and middle income countries, partly due to poor public awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer. Materials and Methods: A community based survey using the Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) questionnaire was conducted in three different communities in Oman. Omani adults aged 18 years and above were invited to participate in the study. Results: A total of 345 responded from 450 invited participants (response rate=76.7%). The majority of respondents were unable to identify the common signs and symptoms of cancer identified in the CAM (average awareness was 40.6%). The most emotional barrier to seeking help was worry about what the doctor might find (223, 64.6%); a practical barrier was too busy to make an appointment (259, 75.1%) and a service barrier was difficulty talking to the doctor (159, 46.1%). The majority of respondents (more than 60% for seven out of ten symptoms) would seek medical help in two weeks for most signs or symptoms of cancer. Females were significantly more likely than males to be embarrassed (p<0.001), scared (p=0.001), and lack confidence talking about their symptoms (p=0.022). Conclusions: Urgent strategies are needed to improve public awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer in Oman. This might leads to earlier diagnosis, improved prognosis and reduced mortality from cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.183-188
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• 2013

Background: Breast cancer (BC), the most common female cancer in Pakistan, is associated with a very high mortality. However, the roles of individual risk factors for BC among Pakistani women are still controversial. To assess potential risk factors for BC, a matched case-control study was conducted in two tertiary care hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan. Materials and Methods: The study population included 297 pathologically confirmed incident cases of BC patients diagnosed between January 2009 and December 2010. 586 controls without any history of BC were matched on hospital and ${\pm}5$ years of ages. Results: Positive family history of BC (MOR=1.72; 95%CI: 1.10, 2.80 for first degree vs. none), single marital status (MOR=1.55; 95%CI: 1.10, 2.39 for single/divorced/widowed women vs. married women), older age at menopause (MOR=3.92; 95%CI: 2.52, 6.18 for menopausal women aged below 45 years, MOR=6.42; 95%CI: 3.47, 11.98 for menopausal women above 45 years of age compared with premenopausal women) conferred an increased risk of BC for women. Increasing parity decreased the risk of BC (MOR=0.90; 95%CI: 0.85, 0.97 for each live birth). Intake of Vitamin D supplements (MOR=0.30; 95%CI: 0.12, 0.81 for ${\leq}3$ years and MOR=0.27; 95%CI: 0.13, 0.56 for >3 years) was protective compared to non-users of Vitamin D. Conclusions: This study confirmed only few of the recognized risk factors in Pakistani women. The protective effect of Vitamin D is important from public health perspective and needs to be further explored through a randomized controlled trial.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3697-3701
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• 2015

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CHCA) is serious public health problem in Thailand, especially in the northeastern and northern regions. CHCA is known as one of the most aggressive malignant tumors associated with local invasion and a high rate of metastasis. A crucial step in the invasion process is the proteolytic degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and basal membranes, for which several studies have shown a critical role played by matrix metalloproteinase-11 (MMP-11). Objective: This study aim to detect MMP-11 expression in CHCA specimens and any correlation with survival time. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 30 patients with CHCA in Rajvithi hospital, who had undergone immunohistochemical staining of MMP-11. Relationships between clinicopathological data and MMP-11 expression in CHCA specimens were analyzed by the ${\chi}^2$ test or Fisher's exact test. The estimated survival and the survival differences were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test, respectively. Results: MMP-11 expression was found in 15 specimens (50%). The overall mean survival time is 237.0 days (95% CI 135.4-338.5, SD 271.9). Specimens with a positive MMP-11 had an average survival time of 136.7 days (95%CI 50.3-223.1, SD 156.0). Survival differences was signficant for the positive and negative MMP-11(p=0.022), but not well differentiated tumor and moderate to poor differentiated tumor (p=0.755), CA19-9 level of >1,000 and <1,000 (p=0.488), and between advanced and non-advanced staging (p=0.388). Conclusions: The positive MMP-11 expression indicates poor prognosis in CHCA specimens.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.165-176
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• 2006

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate job satisfaction and its related factors among radiological technologists. Methods: The subjects were 302 persons in various hospitals and the data were collected from 22 May to 17 July, 2005 using a structured questionnaire. It was composed of socio-demographic characteristics, job-related factors, and job satisfaction with the duty inner factors, the duty outside factors, and the organizational factors. Results: Men were more satisfied than women in their employment(p<0.05). Job satisfaction level of university hospital workers were higher than the general hospital, the hospital, and medical clinics. Job satisfaction level of the general radiological technologists showed lower than the chief radiological technologists (p<0.05). In monthly average grant, the more gained, the higher the satisfaction level(p<0.05). By multiple linear regression analysis, the related factors of job satisfaction level were medical field and duty position (p<0.05). Conclusions: The research shows that job satisfactions levels of the radiological technologists are determined by the health and safety of the work environment. Therefore more improvements must be made for radiological technologists to be more satisfied in their jobs.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.5
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• pp.409-412
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• 2009

Background: Several large outbreaks have demonstrated the threat of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in close-contact environments, such as occurs during training and quartering of military recruits training. In South Korea, which is a hospital or healthcare-associated MRSA prevalent area, military service is compulsory for all healthy young men. We surveyed and determined the extent of CA-MRSA colonization in the upper respiratory tracts of Korean military recruits. Methods: The Korean military recruits who were enrolled in a military training facility from November 2004 to March 2005 were eligible for this study. Sputum or nasopharyngeal swap was obtained from randomly selected subjects who displayed upper respiratory tract symptoms. Results: Of the 181 participants, 32 participants (17.7%) were colonized with S. aureus, and 12 participants (6.6%) were colonized with MRSA. Among the cases that were colonized with S. aureus, 37.5% (12/32) were colonized with MRSA. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed resistant patterns that were suggestive of the CA-MRSA strains for all of the MRSA isolates. Conclusion: This study of Korean military recruits found a great deal of showed MRSA colonization in them, and the antimicrobial resistant profile that was suggestive of a CA-MRSA strain. Further efforts to prevent the spread of MRSA infections and careful monitoring for CA-MRSA outbreaks are warranted, especially in a high risk group such as military recruits.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2015

Objectives: This study evaluated the effects and relevant factors of community-based education and advocacy intervention on stroke awareness among the general population. Methods: The study enrolled 505 community-dwelling adults aged 19 years or older who completed a survey before and after a community-based intervention held between May 2014 and December 2014. Trained staff collected data about knowledge of five stroke warning signs, emergency response, golden window of time (${\leq}3h$), and demographics. Results: After the intervention, public awareness of all five stroke warning signs increased significantly from 26.5% to 33.9% (p=0.011). Public awareness of the golden window of time also increased significantly from 70.1% in April 2014 to 75.8% in December 2014 (p=0.040). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age, higher education level, and exposure to stroke-related public service announcements or educational materials were significant predictors of knowledge of all five warning signs for stroke. Conclusions: Comprehensive community-based intervention is effective for improving public awareness of the warning signs of stroke and the golden window of time.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.4723-4726
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• 2014

Background: Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world and by far the most frequent cancer among women. Objective: The present study was undertaken to assess the awareness of breast cancer warning signs and screening methods among the women of Pokhara valley, Nepal. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was carried out in a community setting with the female population. The questionnaire was administered in face-to-face interviews by trained research assistants. Results: Nepalese women demonstrated poor awareness of warning signs like a breast lump, lump under the armpit, bleeding or discharge from the nipple, pulling of the nipple, changes in the position of the nipple, nipple rash, redness of the breast skin, changes in the size of the breast or nipple, changes in the shape of the breast or nipple, pain in the breast or armpit, and dimpling of the breast skin. While 100% of nurses were aware about breast self-examination(BSE), mammography and warning signs of breast cancer. Levels of knowledge were significantly poorer in women with other occupations. Graduates were more aware about BSE, mammogram and warning signs of breast cancer compared to those with other educational levels. Conclusions: The findings indicated that the level of awareness of breast cancer, including knowledge of warning signs and BSE, is sub-optimal among Nepalese women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3153-3157
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• 2012

Background: In Morocco, the epidemiological profile of cervical cancer is not well established. The focus of the present study was both epidemiological and pathological characteristics. Methods: For all cases of cervical cancer treated between 2003 and 2007 in the National Institute of Oncology and the Oncology Department of the IbnRochd hospital (Casablanca), 900 cases were randomly selected. Results: The mean age was $52.1{\pm}11.8$ years. The most (90.5%) represented histological type was squamous cell carcinoma. For more than 57.0% cases the mean distance between patient's origin and center of treatment was greater than 100km. According to the FIGO classification, only 17.2% of patients were identified as being in early stages (0 and I). For 72.2% patients the follow-up did not exceed 2 years. At 1 year of following-up 55.8% of patients were alive and 43.4% were lost to following-up. Conclusion: Our study addressed the issue of the burden of cervical cancer in Morocco. The result provides a basis for decision-makers for the development of strategic measures to implement the fight against cervical cancer in Morocco.