• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.369-379
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• 1998

Despite acknowledgment that pain is likely to be a major problem for many older adults, it is difficult to estimate the frequency of pain problems for this population. The main purpose of this study was to identify the various characteristics of chronic pain in the elderly by gender. It examines by gender, pain frequency, pain intensity, number of chronic pain sites, localization of pain, impact on activities, methods of pain management, and effects of chronic pain management. The subjects were 189 elderly people(65 years and older) living in an urban area. They were surveyed at their homes. They were surveyed by interview using a closed-ended questionnaire. The survey was done from Nov. 6th. to Dec. 6th. 1997. Descriptive statistics were used to determine all of the reported pain variables. Chi-square tests were used to determine crude differences between pain intensity and gender. T-test was used to determine differences in number of pain sites between men and women. The findings are as follows ; Of the 189 subjects, 83.6% reported experiencing pain, and men reported a lower prevalence (69.5%) than women(89.2%). Women had significantly more severe pain than did men(p=.001). Lower back pain(20.2%) and leg pain(20.2%) were the most prevalent, followed by knee pain(17.4%), arm pain(13.3%), neck and shoulder pain(11.6%), and headache(9.9%). Women experienced more multiple localizations of pain(p=.0001), the greatest impact was on movement (83.5%) , followed by usual activities(60.8%), sleep(49.4%), visiting(29.1%), and hobbies and recreations(50.0%). No differences were observed between men and women in the proportion of subjects reporting a negative impact on each of these activities. The methods of pain management were hospital visit(70.9%), drug store medication(46.7%), oriental medicine clinic(32.9%), endurance(13.3%), self-management(6.3%). Drug therapy was the most effective pain management strategy(94%), followed by physical therapy(63%) and accupuncture.byssocausis(55%). The conclusion : Pain is a symptom of great clinical importance that is often associated with disability, loss of independence, and reduced quality of life. In this study chronic pain symptoms were common but unevenly distributed in men and women. The results further advance understanding of the experience and impact of pain by gender. Future studies should incorporate questions that gather systemic and more detailed information on the characteristics of pain, especially by gender and by age.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.93-105
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• 2002

This study was aimed at identifying on the state and knowledge toward smoking and passive smoking in middle school students. The data were collected from 6th. to 18th. August, 2001. Subject were 125 middle school students who were participated in the Smoking Cessation Program of S Health Agency in Busan. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS program for frequency, percent, mean, and chi-square test. The smoking related state and attitude of subjects were as follows; the nurmber of the smoking students are 10(8.0 %) at present, 19(15.2 %) at past experience, 53(42.4 %) having at present smoking friends, 73(58.4 %) having at present smoking family. Also the smoking starting time of present or past smoking experience was the middle school; 12(9.6 %) and elementary school; 11(8.8 %). They started because of the peer group members; 12(9.6 %), curiosity; 8(6.4 %), and looking good; 7(5.6 %). The passive smoking related state and attitude of subjects were as follows; the number of the passive smoking aware rates are very well level; 71(56.8 %), well level; 54(43.2 %). The exposed experience to passive smoking was always; 38(30.4 %), sometimes; 86(68.8 %), not experience; 1(0.8 5). The place of exposure to passive smoking was game rooms; 67(53.6 %), house; 30(24.0 %), fast food place or cafeteria; 10(8.0 %), and street or in a vehicle ; 3(2.4 %). The main smoker to passive smoking exposure was unknown person; 61(48.8 %), grand parents or parents; 43(34.4 %), brothers or friends; 8(6.4 %), teachers; 4(3.2 %). The chief complant of passive smoking exposure was dyspnea; 36(28.8 %), coughing; 34(27.2 5), dizziness; 21(16.8 %), no symptom; 18(14.4 %). The mostly affected smoker to passive smoking exposure was parents; 52(41.6 %), brothers or friends; 48(38.4 %). The health affected perception to passive smoking exposure was very affected; 109(87.2 %), not affected; 3(2.4 %). In conclusion, it can be well recognized that considerable number of middle school students is exposed to the passive smoking in their homes and by unknown persons, but, their knowledge and attitude toward the exposure to passive smoking is not effective. Therefore, it is hoped that regular smoking education program at school and restriction campaign in home and the public place is necessary.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.578-587
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to provide information to prevent and manage the risk factors of adolescent health behavior by identifying the relationship between smartphone use and the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages of Korean adolescents. Data from the 2017 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey of 54,603 adolescents was used for this study. The study examined the variables related to general characteristics, smartphone use, and intake of sugar-sweetened beverages. Complex sample analysis was done by performing multivariate logistic regression analysis. Smartphone usage time (aOR = 2.19, 95%CI = 2.05-2.34) and smartphone use for communication (aOR = 1.51, 95%CI = 1.43-1.60) were associated with three or more times per week of SODA beverage intake. In addition, adolescents who experienced conflicts with family were associated with SODA beverage intake (aOR = 1.42, 95%CI = 1.33-1.51), conflict with friends was associated with sweet beverage intake (aOR = 1.39, 95%CI = 1.30-1.49), and study problems were associated with SODA beverage intake (aOR = 1.79, 95%CI = 1.54-2.07). Therefore, controlling the use of Smartphones in schools and homes and creating an environment in which communication skills can be learned can help adolescents reduce the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages. Positive relationships with family and friends, and appropriate management of academic stress can help reduce inappropriate health behaviors associated with smartphone use by adolescents.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.216-222
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine nurses' emotional responses and ethical attitudes towards elderly patients' Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) decision. Methods: Data were collected using a questionnaire which was filled out by 153 nurses who worked in nursing homes and general hospitals. Data were analyzed using real numbers, percentages, means, standard deviations and Pearson's correlation coefficients with SPSS 19.0 program. Results: The average score for ethical attitudes towards the DNR decision was 2.68 out of 4. Under the ethical attitudes category, the highest score was found with a statement that said 'Although they will not perform cardiopulmonary resuscitate (CPR), it is right to do their best with other treatments for DNR Patients'. Items regarding emotional responses to the DNR decision, the average score was 2.36 out of 4. Among them, the highest score was achieved on 'I understand and sympathize'. No significant correlation was found between ethical attitudes and emotional responses in relation to patients' DNR decision (r=-0.12, P=0.13). Conclusion: Regarding elderly patients' DNR decision, nurses showed somewhat highly ethical attitudes and slightly positive emotional response. A follow-up study is needed to investigate variables that affect our results.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.117-126
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• 1999

Accidents involving children are an important cause of death and disability. They also have enomorous financial implications. In order to prevent childhood accidents, research and education for safety should be strengthened. The purpose of this study was to determine how often young children have accidents and what factors affect the accident rate. The sample consisted of 771 children who were in the second, third and forth grades of two elementary schools located in Kyung-gi Province. One school had students from middle class families living in apartment complexes and the other, students from lower income families mainly living in single houses. The questionnaires included items on the occurance of accidents and the parents' attitudes regarding accidents during the academic year from March 1997 to February 1998. The Questionnaires were distributed to conventiently selected students to be compeleted by their parents and collected during the period of May 28, to June 6, 1998. The data were analyzed using SAS PC statistical package. The results of the study are as follows ; 1. Of 771 student subjects, 393 had 887 accidental injuries during the study period. 2. The month, the day and the time with the highest accident rate were May, Sunday, and between 1 and 4 p. m. each. 3. In the analysis of the location where the injury took place, the most frequent place was on around their homes followed by school and, then, inside the home 4. Most of the accidents were caused by carelessness on the part of the children and the most frequent type of injury was an abrasion. 5. Children most injured their legs 6. They were treated at home most often and usually emergency treatment was performed by family members with, disinfection being the main type of first aid. Cost of the treatment ranged from 8,000 to 20,000 won in most cases. 7. House type and parents' education level were statistically significant in chi-square analysis. 8. Parents educate their children about traffic safety most frequently followed by fire safety and, then, prevention of violence. 9. Parents think that prevention of violence should be the most important part of injury prevention education both at school and home. 10. To identify factors related to accident occurrence, multiple logistic regression was performed and the main factors were birth order and house type.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.23-41
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to explore social supports for elderly housing and their residential lives in small cities along rural counties of the United States and Canada, and suggest future implications for age-concentrated rural villages in Korea. In this study, five small and medium cities in non-metropolitan counties of California and Ontario province were visited and elderly residents and service experts were interviewed about their perceptions of community integrated social support networks for senior residences. The senior housing complexes were built due to influx of both metropolitan and rural residents seeking warm localities, traffic connections, business purposes in active production areas. and leisure attractions. There are five main social support networks for senior housing issues in these areas. First, the areas are claimed for senior zones and accordingly health industries are encouraged by local authorities. Second, the community is homogeneously constructed as a senior friendly environment and include features such as an RV park and mobile cottages. Third, senior-helping seniors are offered active work through golf-cluster active retirement communities. Fourth, traditional theme production camps are mobilized by the elderly workers. Lastly, an information system is maintained for screening volunteers and for senior abuse prevention. On the other hand, residential lives are occasionally negatively influenced by unbalanced concentrations of elderly facilities such as nursing stations and funeral homes. For the future of Korean rural elderly policies, suggestions are made as follows: first, an integrated urban and rural township that contains attractive places for early retiring people who seek a warm atmosphere in later life needs to be constructed. Second, an integrated model retirement village of urban and rural retirement life needs to be initiated as a measure of evaluating the adaptation process of movers in senior concentrated zones. Third, a cooperation system among governmental ministries needs to be formed with the long- term goal of establishing a traditional rural town of independent housing districts and medical facilities in rural areas. Fourth, productive and active lifestyles need to be maintained as the local community and government develop successful retirement rural villages, by limiting the expansion of nursing related facilities. Finally, generation integrated visiting welfare programs and services need to be further developed for the housing areas especially in the winter, when social integration and activity are relatively low.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.119-125
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• 2022

With the recent increase in dementia patients due to aging, measures to prevent their wandering behavior and disappearance are urgently needed. To solve this problem, various authentication methods and location detection techniques have been introduced, but the security problem of personal authentication and a system that can check indoor and outdoor overall was lacking. In order to solve this problem, various authentication methods and location detection techniques have been introduced, but it was difficult to find a system that can check the security problem of personal authentication and indoor/outdoor overall. In this study, we intend to propose a system that can identify personal authentication, basic health status, and overall location indoors and outdoors by using wristband-type wearable devices in a private blockchain environment. In this system, personal authentication uses ECG, which is difficult to forge and highly personally identifiable, Bluetooth beacon that is easy to use with low power, non-contact and automatic transmission and reception indoors, and DGPS that corrects the pseudorange error of GPS satellites outdoors. It is intended to detect wandering behavior and abnormal signs by locating the patient. Through this, it is intended to contribute to the prompt response and prevention of disappearance in case of wandering behavior and abnormal symptoms of dementia patients living at home or in nursing homes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.574-585
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• 2023

Sarcopenia is a leading cause of increased medical and nursing care costs among the elderly. In Korea, preventive measures for sarcopenia are mostly targeted toward the general elderly population without specific diseases. However, it is also necessary to implement measures for elderly individuals living in nursing homes and hospitals, where the prevalence of sarcopenia is high. Currently, computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging are considered standard diagnostic tools. However, their complexity and time-consuming nature make them unsuitable for clinical use. The exact pathophysiological mechanisms of sarcopenia are unclear, as they involve various molecular biological pathways, including decreased exercise, protein and nutrient intake, changes in testosterone and growth hormone, and inflammation. Sarcopenia symptoms can lead to several diseases, such as osteoporosis, fractures, dementia, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Vitamin B deficiency is a significant factor in sarcopenia induction, with B vitamins being directly involved in energy and protein metabolism and nerve function. Vitamin B deficiency can lead to neuromuscular and neurogenic disorders, which often overlap with sarcopenia. Suboptimal intake of B vitamins, malabsorption, and anorexia are common among the elderly. This study aims to provide information on the role of water-soluble B vitamins in preventing and controlling muscle mass loss and deterioration among the elderly with sarcopenia. In addition, we discuss the potential of myokines from the B vitamin family in modulating sarcopenia.

• 한국노년학
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.195-209
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing file-up family stress in the caregivers of patients with dementia. Data was collected by questionnaires from 102 families with a member having a dementia, at neurology departments of hospitals, temporary shelter for dementia patient, and nursing homes for the elderly. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression. In results, the score of file-up stress showed a significantly negative correlation with the score of level of family hardiness(r=-.200, p=.026), social support(r=-.361, p=.004), relative and friend support(r=-.416, p=.001), and F-COPES(r=-.345, p=.048). The multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor of file-up family stress was family cost for patients with dementia. The results contribute to the understanding of Korean family caregivers' perceptions of caregiveing. Further researches should be conducted with the consideration of Korean traditional custom that family should take care of the elderly family members.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.623-634
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• 1994

Although the average menopausal age has not changed, women's life span has increased. Today's women live longer after their menopause than those in the past, and this calls for attention in both nursing and medical fields. Many studies have revealed how women reacted to menopause and suffered from it. But they did not discriminate the menopausal meaning and effects from the climacteric phenomena. So, this author tried to clarify what menopause itself meant to the climacteric women, by means of grounded theory methodology. The interviewees were 21 women, whose ages were between 46 and 60 years. They were selected by theoretical sampling technique, and the author tried to include all levels of important variables such as age, educational background, religion and job. Data were collected by the author through in -depth interviews and observations in July, 1994. The interviews were mostly done in the homes of the subjects, or in some cases at the author's office or in a hospital. Interviews took from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed later by a research assistant. Data were analyzed as gathered, by the constant comparative method proposed by Strauss and Corbin. Eleven concepts were discovered from the data, and they were grouped under six higher order categories. These six categories were "to give menopause a meaning", "to experience value change", "to have self-help strategies", "to have no strategies", "to live a life worth living", "to have a sense of powerlessness" Among these "to experionce value change" was . selected as the core category. Five major categories were systematically integrated around the core category. Women's adaptation to menopause was defined as proceeding as follows : Most women felt relief and sorrow at the same time when they faced menopause, and some only sorrow or agony. Then, they consulted with others about menopausal symptoms, or tried to think of them by themselves. Finally, they gave menopause a meaning, which was that menopause and its symptoms were natural phenomena. But menopause made women reflect on them-selves and their past lives. As they reflected on themselves, their value on life began to change. As their value changed, some women seeked self help strategies. Those self help strategies were what they had learned from collegues, professionals or mass media. The quality of their lives depended on whether they practiced self help strategies or not. Three types of lives were found. Twelve women enjoyed a life worth living, and practiced the self help strategies, because they accepted menopause a chance to change. They were characterized by a high educational level, having a professional job and a sincere faith in God. Seven women were living as usual, because they did not have the necessity to change. They were high school graduates and house wives. Two women recognized menopause a chance to change, but they did not try self help strategies. Their characteristic was low educational level. Those who did not try self help strategies complained of powerlessness to varying degrees. The educational background, full-time jobs and faith helped women adapt to menopause positively. But social support was not helpful to women's adaptation to menepause. Three hypotheses were derived from the analysis. (1) The higher the educational level, the more theneed to change. (2) Women with higher educational background will practice self help strategies more than those with lower edcational background. (3) The more women practice self help strategies, the worthier lives they will live. Suggestions for further studies are as follows. (1) Studies to test hypotheses are needed. (2) A study to find the relationship between the degree of practicing self help strategies and locus of control. (3) Spiritual approaches would better be applied to help menopausal women. (4) Education through mass media should be given mere frequently.