• IE interfaces
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.273-280
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• 2000

Time-tradeoff measures and healthy years equivalents were assessed and compared through an empirical study based on Multi-attribute utility theory. The study included 33 student subjects as a pilot study, and 54 end-stage renal disease patients in Wisconsin. The two outcome measures were compared with the survival duration of 1, 5, and 10 years. The results of the study show that the time-tradeoff method and the two-stage method did not lead to the same numerical quantities, although they aim to measure the same quantities (equivalent numbers of healthy years) theoretically. The healthy years equivalents involved more inconsistencies, and were less reliable than the time-tradeoff measures. Overestimation of the healthy years equivalents was observed. This seemed to be caused by the complex procedure of the two-stage method as well as by the preferences assessment biases. Based on the study experiences, the time-tradeoff measure would be recommended for problems involving generic medical applications and health policies.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.192-200
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a balance training program in improving balance and functional independence to reduce fall risks among community-dwelling elders. Design: A multi-center randomized controlled trial Methods: A total of 66participants were randomly assigned to a balance training group or a control group. The balance training program, conducted three times a week for 32 weeks, included warm-up exercises, main balance training exercises, and cooldown stretch exercises. Outcome measures included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI). Results: The balance training group demonstrated significant improvements in all outcome measures, indicating enhanced balance, improved functional mobility, and increased independence in activities of daily living. In contrast, the control group showed only slight improvements in BBS, TUGT and MBI scores. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of balance training programs in reducing fall risk and promoting health and wellbeing among community-dwelling elders. Future research should aim to refine the design of these programs and assess the sustainability of the observed improvements.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.172-184
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the intervention studies for married immigrant women. Methods: Based on inclusion criteria, 45 articles published from 2006 to 2011 were reviewed and analyzed. Results: Among the total amount of studies, 77.8% have been conducted since 2009; and 46.7% of them were for a master's thesis, 11.1% were for a doctoral thesis, and 42.2% were journal articles. Most of them were quantitative research (77.8%) and 71.1% were conducted in urban areas. The most frequently conducted intervention was art therapy (35.6%), whereas 6.7% was health education. In total, 104 outcome indicators were used with 57 (54.8%) in the mental health domain, 29 (27.9%) in the social health domain, and 18 (17.3%) in the physical health domain. The most commonly used outcome indicator was self-esteem (23.2%), and the next, in the order of frequency, included self-efficacy (23.2%), acculturative stress (21.4%), and depression (10.7%). Conclusion: Most intervention studies were conducted to support the sociocultural adaptation of married immigrant women, while few intervention studies were conducted to support the health of married immigrant women. To promote the health and quality of life of married immigrant women, many health related intervention programs should be undertaken.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.129-134
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• 1983

The records for the tuberculosis patients who discharged from the health center during 1982 in Kangwha county were analized in order to study the characteristics and the patterns of treatments for the pulmonary tuberculosis patients with the history of previous treatment before registration and also the relationship between the previos history of treatment and the outcome at the time of discharge from the health center. The major findings are as follows. 1. Those who have a history of previous treatment were 58, 22.5% of those 258 patients who were studied. 2. There is no difference in sex however the rate of previous history of treatment was higher among middle age group (20-59) than young and old age group (under 19 or over 60). 3. The rate of previous treatment was rather higher in those lived in remote area from Eup. 4. As for the reationship with occupation, students and civil servants who easily exposured to the public relations of government's tuberculosis control program experienced lower previous treatment before registration than farmers or unemployed. 5. A total of 62.1% were previously treated less than 6 months, 29.3% between 6 and 12 months, and only 8.6% more than 12 months before registration to health center. 6. The most common used anti-tuberculosis drugs were isoniazid and ethambutol but only 13.8% used government-standardized precription and 69.0% used secondary drugs from its beginning. 7. There was no statistical difference between the previous history of treatment and the outcome at the time of discharge from the health center. However the longer the duration of treatment before registration was the lower the cure rate at health center was.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.559-569
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• 2003

Purpose: The purpose was to investigate nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes(nosocomial infection, patient fall, pressure ulcer). Method: The subjects of this study were 305 nurses from 20 general hospitals who worked at 39 medical and surgical wards. Self-reporting questionnaire which was developed by the writer through preceding study was used. In data analysis, SPSS WIN 10.0. program was utilized for descriptive statistics, ANOVA. Result: The mean of patient-to-nurse ration was 5.2:1. 65% among 20 hospitals was over 300 beds, 90 was located in urban area and 55 was private hospitals. Patient-to-nurse ration of hospitals in under 300 beds or rural area or private ownership was lower than hospitals in 300 beds or urban area or public ownership. 89.9 among 39 wards was medical or surgical wards. The mean of length of stay, 8-14 days got a majority and showed higher patient-to-nurse ration. Of the general characteristics, rural was significantly hight to patient fall(F=3.205, p<.05), medical unit was significantly high to patient fall, pressure ulcer(patient fall: F=8.890, p<.001, pressure ulcer: F=3.399, p<.05) and over 15 days was significantly higher than under 14 days of the mean of length of stay. And there was significant relationship between over 6.0:1 and over 4.0:1 to less than 5.0:1(F=4.817,p<.01). Conclusion: This study has shown a relationship between patient-to-nurse ration and patient fall using not objective research tool but self-reporting questionnaire. Therefore further research is needed to study using objective research tool. Based on this study, the effect of nurse staffing levels on patient outcome also has to be studied.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.113-124
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• 2024

Background: The increasing need to minimize animal testing has sparked interest in alternative methods with more humane, cost-effective, and time-saving attributes. In particular, in silico-based computational toxicology is gaining prominence. Adverse outcome pathway (AOP) is a biological map depicting toxicological mechanisms, composed of molecular initiating events (MIEs), key events (KEs), and adverse outcomes (AOs). To understand toxicological mechanisms, predictive models are essential for AOP components in computational toxicology, including molecular structures. Objectives: This study reviewed the literature and investigated previous research cases related to AOP and in silico methodologies. We describe the results obtained from the analysis, including predictive techniques and approaches that can be used for future in silico-based alternative methods to animal testing using AOP. Methods: We analyzed in silico methods and databases used in the literature to identify trends in research on in silico prediction models. Results: We reviewed 26 studies related to AOP and in silico methodologies. The ToxCast/Tox21 database was commonly used for toxicity studies, and MIE was the most frequently used predictive factor among the AOP components. Machine learning was most widely used among prediction techniques, and various in silico methods, such as deep learning, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics, were also utilized. Conclusions: We analyzed the current research trends regarding in silico-based alternative methods for animal testing using AOPs. Developing predictive techniques that reflect toxicological mechanisms will be essential to replace animal testing with in silico methods. In the future, since the applicability of various predictive techniques is increasing, it will be necessary to continue monitoring the trend of predictive techniques and in silico-based approaches.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.546-552
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was performed to identify current characteristics(Academic Value and Outcome) of the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration. Method: This 57 papers analyzed the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration(2006) and comparisons were made with similar studies in Health and Social Science(2006). Results: The analysis of the contents for the papers were suggested according to research purposes: research compatibility, research creativity, research excellence. Conclusion: It is suggested that in depth research be made on nursing management based on evidence practice, nursing informatics, legal and ethical issues. It is developmental direction for academic value and outcome of the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.229-242
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• 2013

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the current status of the association of job-related information such as employment status, workplace environment, and hazard material exposures with health examination outcomes. Methods: The study used data from KNHANES 2007-2009 representing the three years of 2007-2009, which was conducted annually using a rolling sampling design that involved a complex, stratified, multistage, probability-cluster survey of a representative sample of the non-institutionalized civilian population in Korea. The final analytical sample consisted of 17,240 participants. Information on age, education, smoking history and alcohol intake was collected during the health interview. Job related information consisted of employment status, workplace environment, and hazardous material exposure. The selected indices of health examination were blood pressure, fasting glucose, blood cholesterol, HDL, SGOT, SGPT, and BUN. Results: In multiple logistic regression analysis using hypertension and pre-hypertension as dependent variables and job related categories as independent variables after covariate adjustments, the odds of hypertension and pre-hypertension were significantly lower in those with responsibility and power in their job activities. Interestingly, low odds for hypertension were observed among those who reported that their jobs were fast-paced. Conclusions: This study confirmed that some job-related categories in employment status, workplace environment, and hazardous material exposure had an association with health outcome status. It is worthwhile to comment that high responsibility and power in job activities were revealed as one of the important favorable factors to improve health condition of workers.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.18-32
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• 2009

The goal of this study was to predict the health outcomes of lung cancer surgery based on the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). An attempt was likewise made to assess the prognostic value of such data for predicting mortality, survival rate, and length of hospital stay. A medical-record review of 389 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer was performed. To evaluate the agreement, the kappa coefficient was tested. Logistic-regression analysis was also conducted within two years after the surgery to determine the association of CCI with death. Survival and multiple-regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between CCI and the hospital care outcomes within two-year survival after lung cancer surgery and the length of hospital stay. The results of the study showed that CCI is a valid prognostic indicator of two-year mortality and length of hospital stay, and that it shows the health outcomes, such as death, survival rate, and length of hospital stay, after the surgery, thus enabling the development and application of the methodology using a systematic and objective scale for the results.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.68-90
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• 2007

Nurse staffing level is an important factor that influences the quality of health service and patient outcomes. This study was carried out to examine the current state of acute hospital nurse staffing and find out factors that affect the nurse staffing level. Nurse staffing of individual hospitals was measured using the number of registered nurses per 100 beds. Descriptive and multiple regression analyses were conducted using 592 acute care hospitals' data. Regression model included structure factors such as referral level, ownership, medical and general staffing, and financial outcome factors such as occupancy rate, inpatient and outpatient revenues. Market characteristics included strength of competition, supply of nurses, and income and health status level of consumers. The average number of nurses per 100 beds was 28 and showed a great variation according to the referral level. Regression model explained this variation as much as 76.87%. Hospital structure variables which affecting the hospital nurse staffing level positively were ICU bed ratio, the staffing level of specialist, training doctor and employees except doctor and nursing personnel, while the negative factor was nurse aid staffing level. General hospitals employed more nurses than hospitals. Among outcome characteristics, occupancy rate and the amount of health insurance inpatient revenue affected positively on the hospital nurse staffing level. The more supply of the new nurse and the higher consumer income and health status in the medical service markets, the more nurses were employed by the medical institutes. According to the study result, hospitals employed more nurses when they had more financial incentive by increasing nurses. This means appropriate hospital incentive policy and regulation policy, which hospital violate nurse staffing level have to pay penality, should be needed. Clarifying job description between nurses and nurse aids and the reentry program for unemployed experienced nurses will be helpful to increase nurse staffing level.