• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.48-56
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• 2016

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder in which neuronal loss causes cognitive decline and other neuropsychiatric problems. It can be diagnosed based on history, examination, and appropriate objective assessments, using standard criteria such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA). Brain imaging and biomarkers are making progress in the differential diagnoses among the different disorders. The cholinesterase inhibitors, donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors antagonist memantine are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for AD. Recently some acetylcholinesterase inhibitors gained approval for the treatment of severe AD and became available in a higher dose formulation or a patch formulation. Optimal care in AD is multifactorial and it should include early diagnosis and multidisciplinary care with pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions including exercise interventions, cognitive interventions and maintenance of social networks.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.403-414
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of constraint-induced (CI) movement using self-efficacy on U/E function of chronic hemiplegic patients. CI movement discourages the use of the unaffected U/E, combined with intensive training of the affected U/E. Method: A non-equivalent pretest-posttest design was used. Study subjects were 40 hemiplegic patients conveniently selected from 2 different community health centers. The experimental subjects participated in the CI movement program for 6 hours daily over a period of two weeks. The exercises for affected U/E consisted of warming up, main exercise and ADL practice. To encourage the participants' behaviors self-efficacy enhancing strategies were used, which included performance accomplishment, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion and emotional arousal. Result: After 2 weeks of treatment, the grip power, pinch power, wrist flexion/extension, elbow flexion, and shoulder flexion/extension were significantly higher in the experimental subjects than in the control subjects. However, there was no significant difference in hand functions of the two groups. Conclusion: The above results show that the constraint-induced movement using self-efficacy could be an effective nursing intervention for improving U/E function of chronic hemiplegic patients. Long term studies are needed to determine the lasting effects of constraint-induced movement.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.644-655
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• 2007

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to describe the pattern of type D personality, to compare the life style and quality of life between type D personality and non-type D personality patients, and to investigate the factors influencing quality of life in patients with hypertension. Methods: A cross sectional, descriptive study was used. The participants in this study were 193 outpatients who were diagnosed with hypertension at two university hospitals in urban area, Korea. The data was collected from December, 2006 to January, 2007. Type D personality was measured by the DS-14 scale. Results: The prevalence of type D personality was 83.9%. Patients of type D personality were significantly different in educational status, monthly income, fat intake and exercise, and had a lower overall quality of life than patients of non-type D personality. Under controlled general characteristics and life style factors, multiple linear regression analysis was performed. The most significant factor influencing quality of life in hypertensive patients was type D personality, and this factor explained their quality of life with a variance of 14.8%. Conclusions: Various programs for psychological intervention are required to control for the distressed personality of patients with hypertension. Further studies should be conducted prospectively on a larger patient population.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.98-105
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• 2015

Muscular dystrophy is a hereditary musculoskeletal disorder caused by a mutation in the dystrophin gene. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is one of the most common, and progresses relatively faster than other muscular dystrophies. It is characterized by progressive myofiber degeneration, muscle weakness and ultimately ambulatory loss. Since it is an X-linked recessive inheritance, DMD is mostly expressed in males and rarely expressed or less severe in females. The most effective measurement tool for DMD is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which allows non-invasive examination of longitudinal measurement. It can detect progressive decline of skeletal muscle size by measuring a maximal cross-sectional area of skeletal muscle. Additionally, other techniques in MRI, like $T_2$-weighted imaging, assess muscle damage, including inflammation, by detecting changes in $T_2$ relaxation time. Current MRI techniques even allow quantification of metabolic differences between affected and non-affected muscles in DMD. There is no current cure, but physical therapist can improve their quality of life by maintaining muscle strength and function, especially if treatment (and other forms of medical intervention) begins in the early stages of the disease.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.311-320
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the status of visiting nurses assessment and management of chronic musculoskeletal pain in older adults. Methods: The subjects of this study were 285 visiting nurses working at 24 public health centers located in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, and Gangwon-do. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from June to July, 2008. The SPSS/WIN 13.0 program was used for data analysis. Results: Of the visiting nurses, 195 (77.4%) reported lack of pain education for nurses. The education of exercise (83.3%) was used most frequently by nurses as a pain intervention. Barriers to effective pain management were inadequate pain management guidelines and lack of pain education for nurses. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop evidence-based nursing interventions for pain management and to develop systematic educational programs for visiting nurses management of chronic musculoskeletal pain.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.165-174
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was done to identify effects of a fall prevention program on physical fitness and psychological functions in community dwelling elders. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was carried out with a nonequivalent control group pre & post-test design. The program, which included exercises and education, consisted of a 12-week group program and an 8-week self-management program using a health calendar. An experimental group (32) and a control group (21) participated. Results: There were significant differences in SPPB (t=-3.92, p<.001), TUG test (t=4.94, p<.001), standing with right leg (t= -3.60, p=.001), standing with left leg (t=-3.74, p<.001), front and rear maximum step length test (t=-4.34, p<.001), right-left maximum step length test (t=-2.65, p=.011), and fall efficacy (t=-2.42, p=.019). Fall efficacy, fear of falling and depression showed significant differences following the 12-week exercise program and 8-week self-management program in the experimental group. Conclusion: Study findings indicate that the fall prevention program is an effective nursing intervention to enhance physical fitness and psychological functions for elders. Using a health calendar, the self-management program was more effective for psychological functions compared to only the group program. Therefore, health providers should develop diversified fall prevention programs which include motivation plans to encourage clients in participating.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.533-540
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• 2008

Purpose: This study was designed to examine the effects of a weight control program on body weight and the sense of efficacy for control of dietary behavior in psychiatric inpatients. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used. Data were collected from March 1 to September 30, 2007. Female mentally ill patients in closing psychiatry ward of H University Hospital participated in the study (16 persons in the experimental group and 13 in the control group). Results: The weight control program including diet therapy, exercise, education and behavior modification therapy decreased the rate of weight gain in female mentally ill patients taking atypical anti psychotics, and effectively increased a sense of efficacy for control of dietary behavior. Conclusion: Weight control program had a positive effect as a nursing intervention to decrease obesity and to increase the sense of efficacy for control of dietary behavior of psychiatric inpatients in psychiatric inpatients.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.64-75
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• 2013

Purpose: This study investigated general, psychological, and health-related factors related to subjective health status reported from adolescents in multicultural families. Methods: Data from the seventh Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2001), collected by the Korean Center for Disease Control, was statistically analyzed using the t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple regression analysis. Results: The average points reported for subjective health status was 3.73(SD=0.87)out of 5 points. A major factor accounting for differences in the subjective health status reported was gender. In addition key differences related to psychological and health-related factors were cognition of stress, satisfaction with sleep amount, and moderate physical exercise. Conclusion: The findings suggest that tailored intervention programs should be provided to prevent adolescent problems in multicultural families. We also recommend the development of a program that can help control the variables identified in this study.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.372-383
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the current state and trends of factors influencing the quality of life in low- income elders living at home. Methods: To carry out this study we established the patient, intervention, comparison, outcomes (PICO) strategy, reviewed 241 published documents from both national and international electronic databases, and finally selected 9 references based on inclusion and exclusion criteria alone. The quality of selected references was assessed using 15 questions. Two reviewers independently examined titles and abstracts and assessed whether each met the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: The following factors were significantly associated with quality of life in low- income elders: (1) demographic factors such as number of children, income, and age; (2) health - related factors such as joint exercise capacity, activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living, health perception, health promotion behavior, and depression; and (3) socio environmental factors such as family support, community-based service program, leisure activity, and the number of neighborhoods involved. Conclusion: The results of our study provide a definite basis for the development of a policy strategy to improve the quality of life in elders with low income and we hence strongly recommend that any strategy to improve the quality of life in low-income elders be based on the results of our study.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.9-14
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• 2014

Background: This study aims to examine correlations between quadriceps angle, lower extremity muscle strength and leg length discrepancy. Methods: This study selected 96 healthy women university students as the subjects of research. Quadriceps angle, lower extremity muscle strength and leg length discrepancy were measured. The statistical analysis of the data SPSS/window (version 12.0) were analyzed using the pearson correlation analysis. Results: There were negative correlations between the muscle strength of the right hamstring muscles and the right quadriceps angle in supine and standing positions. Functional leg length discrepancy of left and right quadriceps angle in supine and standing position showed positive correlations. Conclusions: The quadriceps angle affect the knee. An abnormal angle caused weakening of balance. Muscle strength, leg length discrepancy, and affected lower extremity alignment and knee function. These conclusions may prevent exercise limitation or disorders in the subjects and treating the patients with knee injury or patellofemoral pain syndrome with basic therapy intervention.