• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.349-354
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• 2017

In this study, we proposed a design guideline of height-adjustable wash basin which is an assistive product for personal hygiene for persons with disability. We performed biomechanical assessments using both of conventional and prototype height adjustable wash basin. Total five elderly subjects (all male, age $68.6{\pm}4.3yrs.$, height $169.8{\pm}5.7cm$, weight $70{\pm}7.7kg$) participated for the assessment test. Each joint angles were measured by using a 3D motion capture system when subjects use wash basins, and the lumbar moment of each subjects was estimated based on a human body model. From the assessment results, a design guideline which has the range of the height from 652[mm] to 1162[mm] was proposed. Then additional assessment tests with five healthy subjects ($25.8{\pm}1.8yrs.$, $175.5{\pm}5.8cm$, $74{\pm}15.7kg$) were performed in order to verify effectiveness of the design guideline. The results showed a height-adjustable wash basin applied the proposed design guideline was effective to reduce the lumbar moment.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.80-87
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was to determine the effects of a early exercise program on the pain, disability and balance after single-level lumbar discectomy. Methods: Forty patients were randomized into experimental(N=20) and control(N=20) groups. Three days after surgery, patients in the experimental group undertook a 4-week exercise program. Assessments were performed in all patients during the week before surgery and at 4 weeks after. The assessment included measures of back and leg pain(VAS), Oswestry disability index(ODI), stability index(SI) and weight distribution index(WDI). Results: At 4 weeks, VAS, ODI, SI, WDI were significantly reduced in both groups(p<.01). Also the experimental group was significantly reduced back and leg pain(VAS), ODI and WDI were better than the control group(p<.05). Conclusion: It seems that early exercise program is more effective in patients who undergo single-level lumbar discectomy.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.97-106
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to determine reliability and validity of the Neck Disability Index (NDI) now in use for the first time in neck pain patients of Korea. Fifty subjects (26 males and24 female) with neck pain enrolled in the study. They completed a standardized self-administered questionnaire that include pain intensity, personal care, lifting, reading, headaches, concentration, work, driving, sleeping and recreation. Reliability was determined by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha by internal consistency. Validity was examined by correlating the NDI scores to the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score. The Test-retest reliability of the translated versions of the NDI was good ICC (2,1) = .90 (95%CI .85 .95). Cronbach's alpha value for NDI was found to be .95 and this was statistically significant (p<.05). The criterion-related validity coefficients was .72 (p<.01). We conclude that the Korean version of NDI has shown to be a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of neck pain.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to identify pain, disability, anxiety, depression and educational needs between acute and chronic low back pain groups. Methods: A total of 153 patients aged 18 to 64, recruited from S-neurosurgical clinic for low back pain in Gyeonggi-do. Out of 153 subjects, 70 were Acute Low Back Pain (ALBP) group and 83 were Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) group. The collected data was analyzed using the SAS System V 9.4 program by chi-square test/Fisher's exact test and t-test. Results: The pain and disability scores were higher in ALBP group while the depression score was higher in CLBP group. The educational needs score in the area for the time for lumbar operation was higher in CLBP group. In the Low Back Pain (LBP) treatment management, ALBP group visited clinic (60.0%) most frequently and CLBP group visited both clinic & traditional medicine (66.3%) regularly. Conclusion: In order to minimize the progression from acute to chronic LBP, it is necessary for patients who visited the clinic to be accompanied with an education program that reflects educational needs of patients and with proven alternative therapy.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2024

Background: This study examines the relationship between functional disability and work ability in workers affected by low back pain (LBP) through an analysis of correlations between the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Work Ability Index (WAI). The role of personal and work factors on functional disability/work ability levels has also been studied. LBP is the most common musculoskeletal problem and a major disabling health problem worldwide. Its etiology is multifactorial. Multidisciplinary approaches may help reduce the burden of pain and disability and improve job continuity and reintegration at work. Methods: A cohort of 264 patients affected by LBP from an Italian outpatient clinic were included in a clinical diagnostic/therapeutic trial aiming at rehabilitation and return to work through an integrated investigation protocol. Data were collected during the first medical examination using anamnestic and clinical tools. The final sample is composed of 252 patients, 57.1% man, 44.0 % blue collars, 46.4% with the high school degree, 45.6% married. Results: WAI and ODI reported a negative and fair correlation (r = -0.454; p = .000). Workers with acute LBP symptoms have a higher probability of severe disability than those with chronic LBP symptoms. White collars without depressive symptoms reported higher work ability - even in chronic disability conditions-than those with depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The study found that ODI and WAI have a convergent validity and this suggests that the two tools measure capture distinctive aspects of disability related to personal, environmental, and occupational characteristics. The most important and modifiable prognostic factors found for ODI and WAI were depressive symptoms, workday absence, and intensity of back pain. The study also found a mild association between age and ODI. The study's findings highlight the importance of using a multidisciplinary approach to manage and prevent disability due to LBP.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.434-442
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this predictive study was to identify factors affecting health related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: The participants in this study were 131 patients with RA who were recruited from the outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Seoul. Disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis was evaluated by calculating the Disease Activity Score 28. Disability in activities of daily living (ADL) was assessed with the Korean Health Assessment Questionnaire, and depression with The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. HRQoL was evaluated using The Short Form 36 Health Survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and hierarchical multiple regression. Results: Pain, disability in ADL, disease activity, and depression correlated negatively with physical and mental dimensions of HRQoL. But hierachical multiple regression analysis revealed that disability in ADL and depression were the only variables negatively influencing physical and mental QoL after adjustment for influences of sociodemographic variables. Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that disability in ADL and depression, rather than disease activity and pain have profound effects on HRQoL in patients with RA. Further studies are needed to assess the predictive ability of disease activity and pain on HRQoL in this population.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.7-22
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• 2016

Objective : This study was conducted to review about instrument for bilateral upper extremity assessment. Methods : We searched published papers in Medline database. The keywords used in the search were 'upper extremity' and 'motor activity', 'activities of daily living' and 'assessment', 'instrument', 'disability evaluations'. In total of 68 papers, 44 assessment instruments was extracted. We analyzed about numbers, subjects, methods, reliability, validity, responsiveness of assessment instruments about bilateral upper limb function comparing unilateral, combined bilateral and unilateral instruments. Results : The numbers of bilateral measurement tool were 2 in a total of upper extremity measurement tools. Also, subjects were patients with stroke and measurement was based on performance. The reliability, validity and responsiveness of tools were high. Conclusions : Futher study will be needed to development and research about instrument of bilateral upper extremity.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.27-50
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• 2001

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease. Although the joints are the major loci of the disease activity, fatigue is a common extraarticular symptom that exists in all gradations of rheumatoid arthritis. Fatigue is defined as a subjective sense of generalized tiredness or exhaustion and has multiple dimensions. Therefore fatigue is a common and frequent problem for those with rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, 88-100% of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis experience fatigue. Especially the degree of fatigue is higher in women than men with rheumatoid arthritis. Despite the importance of fatigue among the patients with rheumatoid arthritis, the mechanism that leads to fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis is not completely understood. This study was intended to test and validate a model to predict fatigue in women with rheumatoid arthritis. Especially it was intended to identify the direct and indirect effects of the variables of pain, disability, depression, sleep disturbance, morning stiffness, and symptom duration to fatigue. Data were collected by questionnaires including Multidimensional Assesment of Fatigue(Tack, 1991), numeric scale of pain, graphic scale of joints, Ritchie Articular Index, Korean Health Assessment Questionnaire(Bae, et al., 1998), Inventory of Function Status(Tulman, et al., 1991), Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression, and Korean Sleep Scale(Oh, et al 1998). The sample consisted of 345 women with a mean duration of rheumatoid arthritis for 10.06 years and a mean age of 49.64 years. SPSS win and Win LISREL were used for the data analysis. Structural equation modeling revealed the overall fit of the model. Pain predicted fatigue directly and indirectly through disability, depression, and sleep disturbance. Disability, sleep disturbance predicted fatigue only directly, while depression only indirectly through disability and sleep disturbance. Also morning stiffness and symptom duration predicted fatigue through disability and depression. All predictors accounted for 65% of the variance of fatigue. Depression, pain, and disability predicted sleep disturbance. Depression had reciprocal relationship with disability and they both were predicted by pain directly and indirectly. In summary, pain, depression, disability, sleep disturbance, morning stiffness, and symptom duration contributed to the fatigue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The best predictor of fatigue was pain. This finding indicates that the modification of pain, depression, disability, sleep disturbance, morning stiffness could be nursing intervention for relief or prevention of fatigue.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.95-99
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• 1993

We must diagnose and treat as early as possible to the children that have been danger factor and have delayed development, therefore, we shall decrease to disability, shall able to ADL and shall have could live to normal living. Since the children are most fast grow to development during 1 year after birth, the soft sign of cerebral palsy is transverse to the hard sign.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• no.39
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• pp.221-252
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• 2008

The current social service delivery system for people with disabilities has four critical problems: absence of needs assessment, absence of case management, shortage of professional workers, and absence of local social welfare agencies. The Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family of Korea has pushed forward with a project to reform the welfare infra-structure for people with disabilities since 2007. It's main purpose is to reorganize the social service delivery system for people with disabilities. A report from the project makes two suggestions: introduction of new standards for disability and set-up of disability service determination centers. The new standards for disability are suggested to include a work ability test and a welfare needs assessment tool as well as a medical standard. Three models for disability service determination centers are suggested: independent model, local governmental model, and public corporational model. Tentative operations using the three models are on the way in the second half of 2008. In order to reform the social service delivery system for people with disabilities, this study makes a fundamental suggestion: set-up of about 120 local welfare agencies over which the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family can have direct control, and which are equipped with professional workers who are able to perform needs assessment and case management. In actuality, welfare centers for disabled people are the best options for local welfare agencies for disabled people.