• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.10-18
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• 2020

Background: The elevated risk of occupational infection such as tuberculosis among health workers in many countries raises the question of whether the quality of occupational health and safety (OHS) and infection prevention and control (IPC) can be improved by auditing. The objectives of this study were to measure (1) audited compliance of primary health-care facilities in South Africa with national standards for OHS and IPC, (2) change in compliance at reaudit three years after baseline, and (3) the inter-rater reliability of the audit. Methods: The study analyzed audits of 60 primary health-care facilities in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Baseline external audits in the time period 2011-2012 were compared with follow-up internal audits in 2014-2015. Audits at 25 facilities that had both internal and external audits conducted in 2014/2015 were used to measure reliability. Results: At baseline, 25% of 60 facilities were "noncompliant" (audit score<50%), 48% "conditionally compliant" (score >50 < 80%), and only 27% "compliant" (score >80%). Overall, there was no significant improvement in compliance three years after baseline. Percentage agreement on specific items between internal and external audits ranged from 28% to 92% and kappa from -0.8 to 0.41 (poor to moderate). Conclusion: Low baseline compliance with OHS-IPC measures and lack of improvement over three years reflect the difficulties of quality improvement in these domains. Low inter-rater reliability of the audit instrument undermines the audit process. Evidence-based investment of effort is required if repeat auditing is to contribute to occupational risk reduction for health workers.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.186-190
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• 2018

Objective: Deep neck flexor muscle endurance (DNFET) is important to cervical pain patients. However, there is no normative data of the DNFET hold time of Korean university students. The purpose of this study was to provide normative data and the reliability of the DNFET times of Korean university students and to compare the DNFET hold times between male and female subjects. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The participants included 39 male and 39 female students with no cervical pain. Each DNFET was measured while the subjects kept their chin tucked in while in a supine (hook-lying) position and with the head lifted 2.5 cm off the bed. The DNFET was conducted on each subject twice and the mean values were obtained. After each measurement, the participants rested for 5 minutes. Inter-rater reliability was measured by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) by three separate evaluators. Results: The inter-rater reliability was good, showing an ICC (2,3) value = 0.785 (95% confidence interval, 0.370-0.942). The DNFET time scores for men and women were $25.14{\pm}9.96$ seconds and $15.23{\pm}6.10$ seconds, respectively, in which the time scores of the men were significantly longer compared to women (p<0.05). Conclusions: Asymptomatic men displayed higher DNFET scores than women. This study can help clinicians test cervical function of patients and set an interventional goal. These findings serve as a basis that insists Korean women to increase their amount of physical activity.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.111-130
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• 2016

This study examined the reliability and validity evidence of the Korean version of Wechsler Primary & Preschool Scale for Intelligence(K-WPPSI-IV), which was standardized recently. Following the stratified sampling for Korean population in terms of region and maternal education level, 1,700 children aged 2.6~7.7 years were recruited for Korean norm development. The split-half reliability (N=1,700) was high(Fisher's z(.75-.89)) and test-retest reliability(N=100) was satisfactory ranging from .95 to .68. The inter-rater reliability(N=110) was very high(.96-1.0). Discriminant and convergent validities were revealed by correlational patterns among subtests and indices. Future studies are needed to extend both reliability and validity of K-WPPSI-IV by collecting data with a various sample group and a variety of instruments.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to assess the intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability and validity of frontal plane lower extremity alignment estimated from a rasterstereographic method using ABW-Mapper. Eighteen subjects participated in this study. The S angle (stereographic angle-frontal plane lower extremity alignment estimated from a rasterstereographic method) in standing was measured throughout the two sessions with one week interval by two different readers. In the first session, a reader measured S angle twice per subject with a short break in-between. The Q-angle (quadriceps angle) was measured using a standard goniometer from a photography taken through digital camera with the participant standing in the same position as in the S angle measurement. The HKA(hip-knee-ankle) angle was measured from a computer based digital radiograph with the computerized measurement software. Reliability was tested using intraclass correlation coefficients(ICC). Validity was tested using a Pearson's correlation coefficient. Excellent intra-rater(ICC=0.956~0.974), inter-rater(ICC=0.962), test-retest reliability (ICC=0.945) were demonstrated. There were strong negative correlations between S angle and Q-angle (r=-0.739), and between S angle and HKA angle (r=-0.702). Therefore, the S angle measured using a rasterstereographic mapper may be used to as a preliminary or supplementary tool to evaluate and study LE alignment in the frontal plane in relation to HKA angle or Q-angle.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.510-519
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• 2006

Purpose: To develop and validate a scale suitable and efficient scale for use in clinical practice as to assess pain in premature infants. Method: Pain indicators identified by observation of preform infants. A cohort of preform infants was studied prospectively to determine the construct validity, inter-rater reliability, and internal consistency of the scale. The PIPS uses four indicators of pain: corrected gestational age, heart rate, oxygen saturation, behavioral state. The validation study included 45 premature infants with gestational age of 37 weeks or less. Results: The inter-rater reliability of the PIPS was acceptable, with Pearson correlations ranging from.720 to.970. Internal consistency was high: Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from.551 to.653. There was a strong correlation between the PIPS and PIPP scores (each researcher's r=.743, each indicator's r=.914). Although gestational age showed no association between these factors and the sum, the other variables were positively associated with the sum. Time needed to calculate PIPS scores is was less than Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) scores(p<.000). Conclusion: The validation data suggest that the PIPS is appropriate and efficient for assessing pain in premature infants. Further studies are required about to determine appropriate interventions for each pain score on the PIPS.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.549-558
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a Nursing Competency Scale in Simulation (NCSS) for nursing students. Methods: A preliminary version of the NCSS of 14 items was derived from the literature. A panel of seven experts reviewed the preliminary version for content validation and developed 15 items scale. A convenient sample of 195 nursing students completed the survey and two evaluators measured the performances of nine teams in a simulation scenario with NCSS. The data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, independent t-test and Cronbach's alpha. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used in order to estimate the degree of inter-rater reliability. Results: An exploratory factor analysis demonstrated that two factor structures of the NCSS explained 51.1% of the total variance. Two factors were named psychosocial skills and cognitive and psychomotor skills. The mean scores of NCSS between third and 4th grade were significantly different providing support for its known-group validity. Cronbach's alpha was .90 and ranged from .79 to .88. The overall ICC for inter-rater agreement was 0.89 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.98). Conclusion: This scale shows preliminary evidence for validity and reliability. It could be a useful instrument for measuring learning outcome in simulation for nursing students' clinical competency.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.140-143
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• 2018

Background: The Occupational Safety and Health Monitoring and Assessment Tool (OSH-MAT) is a practical instrument that is currently used in the German woodworking and metalworking industries to monitor safety conditions at workplaces. The 12-item scoring system has three subscales rating technical, organizational, and personnel-related conditions in a company. Each item has a rating value ranging from 1 to 9, with higher values indicating higher standard of safety conditions. Methods: The reliability of this instrument was evaluated in a cross-sectional survey among 128 companies and its validity among 30,514 companies. The inter-rater reliability of the instrument was examined independently and simultaneously by two well-trained safety engineers. Agreement between the double ratings was quantified by the intraclass correlation coefficient and absolute agreement of the rating values. The content validity of the OSH-MAT was evaluated by quantifying the association between OSH-MAT values and 5-year average injury rates by Poisson regression analysis adjusted for the size of the companies and industrial sectors. The construct validity of OSH-MAT was examined by principle component factor analysis. Results: Our analysis indicated good to very good inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.64-0.74) of OSH-MAT values with an absolute agreement of between 72% and 81%. Factor analysis identified three component subscales that met exactly the structure theory of this instrument. The Poisson regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant exposure-response relationship between OSH-MAT values and the 5-year average injury rates. Conclusion: These analyses indicate that OSH-MAT is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used effectively to monitor safety conditions at workplaces.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.88-98
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• 2023

Purpose: Children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) frequently undergo clinical assessments, involving triadic communication between clinician, parent, and child. During such encounters parents are traditionally the main communicator of information on their child's IBD, including subjective symptom reports. The level of agreement between children and their parents for IBD symptoms is poorly understood, and this study aimed to examine this factor. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among children with IBD, and one parent. A validated paediatric IBD symptom report tool (IBDnow) enabled children and their parent to rate seven pain, well-being, and stool metrics, with dyads completing the tool concurrently. Results were assessed using: Individual agreement: proportion of identical symptom reports by each dyad (ideal score >0.7); Category agreement: percentage of identical reports for IBDnow metrics for the cohort; Inter-rater reliability: Gwet's AC1 coefficient with higher scores indicating better reliability (maximum=1). Results: Seventy-four parent/child dyads participated; child's mean age 12.2 years (standard deviation [SD] 2.9, range 6-16), mean time since diagnosis 2.8 years (SD 3), 54% female, 73% had Crohn's Disease. Mean individual agreement level was 0.6, with 27% of dyads agreeing on ≥6/7 IBDnow metrics. Category agreement was reported by 61% of dyads, 20% of parents overestimated, and 19% underestimated, their child's symptoms. Inter-rater reliability ranged from fair to good. Conclusion: These results should improve clinician awareness of how IBD symptom reports from parents may introduce bias. Children should be considered the most important source of symptom reports, and tools such as IBDnow utilised to enhance communication.

• Journal of health informatics and statistics
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2016

Objectives: Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the presence of carotid artery plaque are widely used as preclinical markers of atherosclerosis. Due to operator dependency in measuring CIMT, it is important to evaluate the reliability of measuring CIMT and plaque between centers in a multicenter study. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the inter-rater reliability of CIMT and plaque presence among three clinical centers of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Etiology Research Center (CMERC). Methods: Twenty people without known cardiovascular disease (age 37-64) were enrolled during 2014-2015, and their left and right carotid arteries were examined repeatedly with ultrasonography for CIMT measurements at three clinical centers according to a predetermined protocol. Maximum and mean values of CIMT at distal common carotid artery were recorded. Plaque presence at a carotid artery was checked by an operator. The reliability of CIMT and carotid plaque presence was assessed using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and kappa statistics, respectively. Results: Calculated ICC was 0.647 (95% CI: 0.487-0.779) for maximum CIMT, and 0.758 (95% CI: 0.632- 0.854) for mean CIMT. In Bland Altman plot, most observed values were distributed within mean difference ${\pm}1.96$ SD ranges. Kappa statistics of plaque presence between two centers were 0.304 (center 1 and 2), 0.507 (center 1 and 3), and 0.606 (center 2 and 3), respectively, while Fleiss kappa for overall agreement was 0.445. Conclusions: The inter-rater reliability of CIMT measurements among three clinical centers turned out to be high, and the agreement of measuring carotid plaque presence was fair.

• Proceedings of the Korea Contents Association Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.381-382
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• 2019

본 연구는 기능적 뻗기 검사의 측정자 간 신뢰도를 알아보기 위하여 실시하였다. 본 연구에 참가한 대상자는 총 46명(남 20명, 여 26명)이었고 기능적 뻗기 검사는 두 곳의 실험실에서 이루어졌고 측정자는 총 6명이었다. 같은 장소의 실험실에서 이루어진 검사의 측정자간 신뢰도는 높게 나타났으나 장소가 다른 곳에서 이루어진 검사의 측정자 간 신뢰도는 아주 낮게 나타났다. 따라서 기능적 뻗기 검사의 신뢰도를 확보하기 위하여서는 측정자들의 명확한 기준의 정리가 필요할 것으로 보인다.