• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2023

Objectives: This study investigated the effect of cognitive impairment on the association between social network properties and mortality among older Korean adults. Methods: This study used data from the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. It obtained 814 older adults' complete network maps across an entire village in 2011-2012. Participants' deaths until December 31, 2020 were confirmed by cause-of-death statistics. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the risks of poor social network properties (low degree centrality, perceived loneliness, social non-participation, group-level segregation, and lack of support) on mortality according to cognitive impairment. Results: In total, 675 participants (5510.4 person-years) were analyzed, excluding those with missing data and those whose deaths could not be verified. Along with cognitive impairment, all social network properties except loneliness were independently associated with mortality. When stratified by cognitive function, some variables indicating poor social relations had higher risks among older adults with cognitive impairment, with adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of 2.12 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34 to 3.35) for social nonparticipation, 1.58 (95% CI, 0.94 to 2.65) for group-level segregation, and 3.44 (95% CI, 1.55 to 7.60) for lack of support. On the contrary, these effects were not observed among those with normal cognition, with adjusted HRs of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.31 to 1.71), 0.96 (95% CI, 0.42 to 2.21), and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.23 to 3.96), respectively. Conclusions: The effect of social network properties was more critical among the elderly with cognitive impairment. Older adults with poor cognitive function are particularly encouraged to participate in social activities to reduce the risk of mortality.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.72-82
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to identify functional impairment and psychological status and to analyze their relationships in patients with chronic arthritis. The sample was consisted of 75 arthritic patients who visited H hospital and S welfare center. Functional impairment was measured by ADL, pain, and the number of painful joint. Psychological status was measured by depression, self-efficacy, and quality of life. Data was analyzed by frequency, mean ${\pm} SD$, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and Stepwise multiple regression. The results of this study were as follows : 1. In functional Impairment, ADL was below average which means somewhat difficult, pain was above average, and the number of painful joint was 9.20. 2. In psychological status, scores of quality of life was 97.89, depression was 41.28, self-efficacy was 895.35. 3. Pain was negatively correlated to self-efficacy, ADL and quality of life, and positively correlated to depression. 4. Self efficacy and depression explained 45% of the variance in quality of life. Therefore, it is suggested that nursing intervention improving psychological status would be useful for patients with chronic arthritis. Especially, it is very important to implement nursing intervention focused on increasing self-efficacy and decreasing depression.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.242-257
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the life experiences of the wives of men who were born with normal vision but gradually developed a visual impairment, with particular focus on their way of facing and coping with their life crisis. Method: A narrative approach was used to not only understand women's experiences within sociocultural contexts, but also reveal the subjective meaning of their personal life stories through their own voices. A purposive sample of three participants having husbands unexpectedly diagnosed with visual impairment during their marriage was recruited. The data were analyzed using the narrative analysis methods suggested by Clandinin and Connelly. Results: The wives took the crisis of their husbands' visual impairment as an economic crisis of the family. They faced a variety of difficulties, including extreme despair, role changes, and economic burdens. On the other hand, they tried to keep the family secure through a range of coping strategies that were motivated by compassion toward the husbands, maternal affection for the children, and a sense of responsibility for their families. Conclusion: This study revealed the need for financial support for temporarily disadvantaged families. In addition, various nursing and counseling programs for the family members will also be needed to help recover the family functions.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: To investigate the relationship between hearing impairment and alcohol drinking patterns in South Korean adults. Subjects and Methods: Data collection was performed by Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey from January 1 to December 31, 2012. Data analyses were performed from February 20 to March 3, 2018. Data from 3,860 adults 20 years of age or older without a history of malignancy or chronic otitis media in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 database who participated in the health questionnaires, and who had available results from otologic examinations that included pure tone audiogram, were included. Pure-tone average hearing thresholds were calculated at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz. Hearing loss was defined as a pure-tone average >40 dB in one or both ears. The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test was used to evaluate drinking statuses of subjects. Data were analyzed using the complex-sample χ²-test of independence and a complex-sample logistic regression analysis. Results: Of the 29,954,319 individuals in the weighted cross-sectional study population, 15,106,040 (50.4%) were men and 14,848,098 (49.6%) were women. A total of 8.1% of men and 7% of women had hearing impairment. The degrees of drinking with appropriate, risky, and hazardous drinking habits were 58.2, 32.1, and 9.7% among men; and 76.4, 12.5, and 11.1% among women, respectively. Among men, the odds ratio of hearing loss increased by 2.506 times when comparing hazardous and appropriate drinking (confidence interval, 1.083 to 5.800, p=0.002). Moderate alcohol consumption (≤2 drinks per day) was not protective for hearing in either group. Conclusions: As hazardous drinking tends to coexist with hearing impairment in men, appropriate prevention and intervention strategies should be emphasized. A longitudinal study to investigate harmful drinking and the mechanism of hearing loss should be performed.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: To investigate the relationship between hearing impairment and alcohol drinking patterns in South Korean adults. Subjects and Methods: Data collection was performed by Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey from January 1 to December 31, 2012. Data analyses were performed from February 20 to March 3, 2018. Data from 3,860 adults 20 years of age or older without a history of malignancy or chronic otitis media in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 database who participated in the health questionnaires, and who had available results from otologic examinations that included pure tone audiogram, were included. Pure-tone average hearing thresholds were calculated at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz. Hearing loss was defined as a pure-tone average >40 dB in one or both ears. The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test was used to evaluate drinking statuses of subjects. Data were analyzed using the complex-sample χ²-test of independence and a complex-sample logistic regression analysis. Results: Of the 29,954,319 individuals in the weighted cross-sectional study population, 15,106,040 (50.4%) were men and 14,848,098 (49.6%) were women. A total of 8.1% of men and 7% of women had hearing impairment. The degrees of drinking with appropriate, risky, and hazardous drinking habits were 58.2, 32.1, and 9.7% among men; and 76.4, 12.5, and 11.1% among women, respectively. Among men, the odds ratio of hearing loss increased by 2.506 times when comparing hazardous and appropriate drinking (confidence interval, 1.083 to 5.800, p=0.002). Moderate alcohol consumption (≤2 drinks per day) was not protective for hearing in either group. Conclusions: As hazardous drinking tends to coexist with hearing impairment in men, appropriate prevention and intervention strategies should be emphasized. A longitudinal study to investigate harmful drinking and the mechanism of hearing loss should be performed.

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2016

Objectives The aim of this study is to develop diagnostic and assessable questionnaires for cervical movement system impairment syndromes. Methods We reviewed the previous study and literature, and organized various checkable items for differential diagnosis of four different cervical movement system impairment syndromes. Next, we selected items which can be developed as questionnaire items. Finally, we conducted a face validity study with twelve Korean medical doctors and carried out survey research to evaluate the importance score of the items with three experts. Results We developed a diagnostic and assessable questionnaire as follows: 9 items for cervical extension syndrome; 5 items for cervical flexion syndrome; 9 items for cervical rotation syndrome. By conducting 2 rounds of survey research, we were able to bridge the differences in the importance score of each item. Conclusions A questionnaire for the diagnosis and assessment of movement system impairment syndromes was developed. This questionnaire holds promising applications for objective diagnosis and assessment of cervical movement system impairment syndromes. This tool may also be used for detecting the sub-health status of musculoskeletal systems.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.317-327
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to contribute data toward prevention from advancing dementia and also prevention of deterioration in cognitive impairment by constructing an optimal prediction model and verifying factors influencing cognitive impairment in elders with dementia who reside at home. Methods: The participants in this study were 351 elders who were registered at dementia day care centers in 11 regions of Metropolitan Incheon. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics 17.0 and SAS 9.1. Bootstrap method using the Clementine program 12.0 was applied to build an optimum prediction model. Results: Gender and education (general characteristics), alcohol, urinary/fecal incontinence, exercise, weight, and ADL (state of health), and depression (psychological state) were found to have an affect on cognitive impairment in these elders. Conclusion: Study results indicate nine key factors that affect cognitive impairment of elders with dementia who reside at home and that could be useful in prevention and management nursing plans. These factors could also be used to expand the role of nurses who are working in community day care centers, and can be applied in the development and provision of various programs to aid retention and improve cognitive function as well as preventing deterioration of cognition.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2019

Purpose: Cognitive function is a main concern for rehabilitation progression in individuals who have sustained brain damage, even among those whose motor function has returned after brain damage. The purpose of this study was to investigate how cognitive impairment relates to functional independence in postural stability and gait performance in patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke. Methods: This was an observational design in an outpatient rehabilitation hospital. Twenty-eight adults with chronic hemiparetic stroke, receiving a course in an outpatient rehabilitation program, participated in this study. They were divided into two groups (i.e., non-cognitive impairment and cognitive impairment groups) via a cut-off score of 23 or less on a mini-mental state examination. Functional independence was assessed with the timed up-and-go test (TUG), 10-meter walk test (10mWT), five times sit-to-stand test (FTSST), Berg balance scale (BBS), and modified Barthel index (MBI). The independent t-test was used for statistical analysis when comparing the two groups. Results: The cognitive impairment group had less functional independence, balance, and gait performance than those of the non-cognitive impairment group had. The former also showed a statistically significant decrease in their TUG score, FTSST score, BBS score, and MBI score compared to the latter, but not in their 10mWT score (p<0.05). Although the non-cognitive impairment group walked faster than the cognitive impairment group did, that difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that cognitive impairment relates to functional independence in postural stability and the activities of daily living. In rehabilitation settings, cognitive impairment would be considered a major component in therapeutic rehabilitation to overcome the patients difficult physical problems and to treat for improving functional independence more after stroke.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.265-274
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• 2021

The Purpose of this paper was to explore the effect of hearing impairment on HRQOL in Korean elders. We carry out a cross-sectional analysis using nationally representative data from the KNHANES, 2016-2018. The survey was conducted on 4,754 elders who responded to questions about hearing impairment. Quality of life was compared between hearing impaired elders and elders with no hearing impairment using the t-test and chi-square test, and factors related to quality of life were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression using SPSS version 22.0. There was significant difference in quality of life between hearing impaired elders and elders with no hearing impairment. Walking exercise were identified as factors related to quality of life in elders with hearing impairment, while marriage status, walking exercise and limited movement were found to be related to quality of life among elders with no hearing impairment. In order to improve the HRQOL of elders with hearing impairment, multidisciplinary efforts and development of educational programs are required.

• Journal of the Health Care and Life Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.361-374
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• 2023

This study was conducted using data from the '2020 National Survey of Older Koreans' to investigate the sociodemographic characteristics, health status, health management practices, and caregiving needs that influence cognitive impairment in early and late-stage elderly individuals. The research targeted 9,885 individuals aged 65 and above. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Chi-square, t-tests, and logistic regression. The study found that cognitive decline in elderly individuals was influenced by age, education, income, location, health status, and depressive symptoms. Those with cognitive decline showed lower health management practices, functional status, and overall health and social satisfaction. There was a high demand for home residency services and assistance with daily activities among cognitively impaired individuals, indicating the need for diverse support and policies within local communities for safe caregiving in the future.