• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.205-215
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• 2013

Most terminally ill cancer patients experience various physical and psychological symptoms during their illness. In addition to pain, they commonly suffer from fatigue, anorexia-cachexia syndrome, nausea, vomiting and dyspnea. In this paper, I reviewed some of the common non-pain symptoms in terminally ill cancer patients, based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines to better understand and treat cancer patients. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a common symptom in terminally ill cancer patients. There are reversible causes of fatigue, which include anemia, sleep disturbance, malnutrition, pain, depression and anxiety, medical comorbidities, hyperthyroidism and hypogonadism. Energy conservation and education are recommended as central management for CRF. Corticosteroid and psychostimulants can be used as well. The anorexia and cachexia syndrome has reversible causes and should be managed. It includes stomatitis, constipation and uncontrolled severe symptoms such as pain or dyspnea, delirium, nausea/vomiting, depression and gastroparesis. To manage the syndrome, it is important to provide emotional support and inform the patient and family of the natural history of the disease. Megesteol acetate, dronabinol and corticosteroid can be helpful. Nausea and vomiting will occur by potentially reversible causes including drug consumption, uremia, infection, anxiety, constipation, gastric irritation and proximal gastrointestinal obstruction. Metoclopramide, haloperidol, olanzapine and ondansetron can be used to manage nausea and vomiting. Dyspnea is common even in terminally ill cancer patients without lung disease. Opioids are effective for symptomatic management of dyspnea. To improve the quality of life for terminally ill cancer patients, we should try to ameliorate these symptoms by paying more attention to patients and understanding of management principles.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.661-674
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare the level of MMP-2, MMP-8 in the healthy, inflammed gingival tissue and inflammed gingival tissue associated with type 2 DM. We investigate whether expression of MMP-2, MMP-8 is increased by chronic periodontitis associated with type 2 DM. Gingival tissue samples were obtained during periodontal surgery or tooth extraction. Based on patient's systemic condition & clinical criteria of gingiva, each gingival samples were divided into three groups. Group l(n=8) is clinically healthy gingiva without bleeding and no evidence of bone resorption or periodontal pockets, obtained from 8 systemically healthy patients. Group 2(n=8) is inflammed gingiva from patients with chronic periodontitis. Group 3(n=8) is inflammed gingiva from type 2 diabetic patients with chronic periodontitis. Tissue samples were prepared and analyzed by Western blotting. The quantification of MMP-2, MMP-8 was performed using a densitometer and statistically analyzed by ANOVA. MMP-2, MMP-8 was expressed in all samples including healthy gingiva and increased in group 3 compared to group 1 and 2, and showed that significant variation was observed between group 1 & 3 in MMP-8 results. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that human gingival tissue with chronic periodontitis associated to type 2 diabetes showed slightly elevated MMP-2, MMP-8 levels compared to healthy gingiva and non-diabetic inflamed gingiva.

• 한국호스피스완화의료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.07a
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• pp.100-102
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• 2004

Under the current medical system, a terminal patient and his/her family who are neglected inevitably face various aspects of crises including not only physical, but also psychological, social, economic, spiritual and legal problems. Nurses often look after many terminal patents with these types of complicated problems. Therefore, educating the nurses who will take care of such patents would greatly reduce stress so the patents end could their lives in peace and without losing their dignity. This research is a quasi experimental study of nonequivalent control group. A pretest-posttest design where a basic education program is developed for nurses, who frequently treat terminal patents, to understand the importance of the role of hospice and to apply their understandings to treat terminal lancer patents. A sample of the nurses were taken from those who were working in general wards at two general hospitals in Seoul during October, 2003${\sim}$December 2003. The study was composed of 46 experimental group and 43 control group. A basic hospice education program was developed by taking emphasized and overlapping parts from advanced practice hospice nurses education course, short-term education course, an extensive literature survey and by consulting three professionals as well. With the group of 5 professors with vast experiences in oncolgy, 5 nursing administrator, 3 nursing practitioner, the tentative first version of the program was developed and reviewed. Afterwards, by utilizing person to person interviews with 2 head nurses experienced with terminal patients, 1 nurse in charge of hospice, 1 nurse on the contents of the program, and a person to person rating on the educating medium by a nurse were performed. The final version of a basic education program was developed after the second revision. The hospice basic education program consists of introduction to hospice, hospice and commucation, management of pain for terminal cancer patients, physical management for terminal cancer patients, socio-psycological caring of terminal cancer patients and management of death and separation. Total education time was four hours organized into 50 minutes of instruction and 10 minutes of break. $Powerpoint^{(R)}$ software was used as the education medium. As research tools, "Knowledge on Hospice" was developed by the author after receiving a review from one expert. "Attitude of Hospice Nursing" was revised Kim(2001)'s attitude measuring tool which was based on Wang(1998), Kwon(1989), Park and Sung(1991)'s tool. "Liability on nursing terminal patients" was used as developed by Zarits(1980) and Mongomory(1985) translated by Lee(1985). For collecting data, preliminary investigation prior to 1 week of the hospice basic education program and post-investigations after 1 week and 4 weeks of the education were carried out for the nurses at a general ward who understood and agreed on the purpose of the program. Collected data were analyzed throughout t-test, $x^2-test$, Manova test and Bonferroni correction in $SAS^{(R)}$ program. The summary of the investigation is as follows: Hypothesis 1: "Educated experimental group would possess more knowledge on hospice compared to the un-educated control group" was supported after 1 (F=12.14, p=.00) and 4 (F=5.3, p=.02) weeks of education. Hypothesis 2: "Educated experimental group would take a positive attitude toward hospice nursing compared to the un-educated control group" was supported after 1(F=3.92, p=.05) and 4(F=5.05, p=.02) weeks of education. Hypothesis 3: "Educated experimental poop would feel less liability compared to the un-educated control group in nursing terminal cancer patients' was rejected. In this study, it was found that knowledge on hospice was significantly important. By applying hospice basic education programs to nurses, the education program helped nurses to take a positive attitude toward terminal patients. It was, however, seen that the education program had no effect on alleviating liability in nursing terminal patients. Therefore, it is expected that this educational program would help hospices and nurses at general wards to understand the concept and the role of hospice so that terminal patents, now neglected under current medical system, would be able to end their lives in peace.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.141-158
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• 1994

To provide better health care services to the rural population, the government has made the Community Health Practitioner(CHP) a regular government official from April 1, 1992. This study was carried out to study the impact of officialization of CHP on the activities and management system of Primary Health Post(PHP). Fifty PHPs were selected by two stage sampling, cluster and simple random, from 595 PHPs in Kyungnam and Kyungpook provinces. Data were collected by a personal interview with CHPs and review of records and reports kept in the PHPs. The study was done for the periods of January 1-March 31, 1992 (before officialization) and January 1-March 31, 1993 (after officialization). Ninety-six percent of the CHPs wanted to become a regular government official in the hope of better job security and higher salary. The proportion of CHPs who were proud of their iob was increased from 24% to 46% after officialization. Those CHPs who felt insecure for their job decreased from 30% to 10%. Monthly salary was increased by 34% from 802,600 Won to 1,076,000 Won and 90% of the CHPs were satisfied with their salary, also more CHPs responded that they have autonomy in their work planning, implementation of plan, management of the post, and evaluation of their activity. There were no appreciable changes in such CHPs' activities as assessment of local health resources, drawing map for the catchment area, utilization of community organization, grasping the current population structure in the catchment area, keeping the family health records, individual and group health education, and school health service. However, the number of home visits was increased from 13.6 times on the average per month per CHP to 27.5 times. More mothers and children were referred to other medical facilities for the immunization and family planning services. Average number of patients of hypertension, cancer, and diabetes in three months period was decreased from 12.7 to 11.6, from 1.5 to 1.2, and 4.3 to 3.4, respectively. Records for the patient care, drug management, and equipment were well kept but not for other records. The level of record keeping was not changed after officialization. The proportion of PHPs which had support from the health center was increased for drug supply from 14.0% to 30.0%, for consumable commodities from 22.0% to 52.0%, for maintenance of PHP from 54.0% to 68.0%, for supply of health education materials from 34.0% to 44.0%, and supply of equipment from 54.0% to 58.0%. Total monthly revenue of a PHP was increased by about 50,000 Won; increased by 22,000 Won in patient care and 34,700 Won in the government subsidy but decreased in the membership due and donation. However, there was no remarkable changes in the expenditure. The proportion of PHPs which had received official notes from the health center for the purpose of guidance and supervision of the CHPs was increased from 20% to 38% during three months period and the average number of telephone call for supervision from the health center per PHP was increased from 1.8 to 2.1 times(p<0.01). However, the proportion of PHPs that had supervisory visit and conference was reduced from 79% to 62%, and from 88% to 74%, respectively. The proportion of CHPs who maintained a cooperative relationship with Myun Health Workers was reduced from 42% to 36%, that with the director of health center from 46% to 24%, that with the chief of public health administration section from 56% to 36%, and that with the chairman of PHP management council from 62% to 38%. Most of the CHPs (92% before and 82% after officialization) stated that the PHP management council is not helpful for the PHP. CHPs who considered the PHP management council unnecessary increased from 4% to 16%(p<0.05). Suggestions made by the CHPs for the improvement of CHP program included emphasis on health education, assurance of autonomy for PHP management, increase of the kind of drugs that can be dispensed by CHPs, and appointment of an experienced CHP in the health center as the supervisor of CHPs. The results of this study revealed that the role and function of CHPs as reflected in their activities have not been changed after officialization. However, satisfaction in job security and salary was improved as well as the autonomy. Support of health center to the PHP was improved but more official notes were sent to the PHPs which required the CHPs more paper works. Number of telephone calls for supervision was increased but there was little administrative and technical guidance for the CHP activities.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the perception and emotional experiences in rare and intractable diseases for caregivers of pediatric patients with mitochondrial diseases in order to provide therapeutic interventions for patients, caregivers, and families. Methods: A total of 83 caregivers of pediatric patients with mitochondrial diseases were recruited from the pediatric mitochondrial disease clinics of the Gangnam Severance Hospital in South Korea. Participants completed the survey about their perception of mitochondrial disease and emotional experiences after the diagnosis, and these clinical data were analyzed accordingly. Results: Surveys from a total of 83 caregivers of patients were analyzed, and the patients' age ranged from 6 to 12 years (33%), followed by ages 1 to 6 years (30%). Children with mitochondrial diseases were between 0 and 0.5 years of age at the time of first symptom onset (43%), and the duration of illness lasted more than 10 years in most cases (42%). Prior to diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases, the amount of awareness the caregivers had was 'Not at all' for both rare and intractable diseases and mitochondrial diseases in 44 cases and 68 cases, respectively. For the caregivers' emotional experiences, the most common initial responses were 'Discouraged/despair', 'Helpless/lethargic', and 'Disconcerted'. 'Anxious', 'Committed to treatment', and 'Responsibility as family members' were the most common emotional responses from the caregivers, followed by 'Disconcerted' and 'Helpless/lethargic'. Conclusion: It is important to consider the level of perception and emotional experiences of caregivers and patients with rare and intractable mitochondrial diseases for planning treatment programs.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.77-81
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• 1998

The author exprienced a case of glycogen storage disease type Ia(GSD-I) in an 18-year-old male patient who was admitted to our hospital due to proteinuria and hypertension. he was suspected to have GSD when 12 years old because of his family history of short stature and hepatomegaly. On admission, physical examination revealed short stature, heparomegaly, and The diagnosis of GSD-I was confirmed by compatible liver biopsy finding and enzyme assay which erealeddeficiency of glcose-6-phosphatase if hepatocyte. Sympromatic treatment was done using antihypertensive drugs and allopurinol with diet control. The authors report a case of glycogen storage disease type Ia completely confirmed by typical clinical manifestation, pathologic findings of the liver and the kidney, and the result of enzyme assay which revealed deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase in hepatocytes with brief review fo related literatures.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.485-494
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• 2004

Background : To assess the effects of mDOT implementation on sputum smear conversion for AFB (Acid fast bacilli) positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients, modified Directly Observed Treatment (mDOT) was started on October $8^{th}$ 2001 at a health center in Seoul. mDOT was defined through weekly interviewing and supervising of a patient by a supervisor (doctor, nurse, or lay health worker). The sputum smear conversion of a mDOT group was compared with that of a self-medication (self) group. Methods : This study included 52 AFB positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients registered at a health center in Seoul between October $8^{th}$ 2001 and April $23^{rd}$ 2002. 24 and 28 patients were enrolled in the mDOT and self medication groups, respectively. Paired (1:1) individual matching, by gender, extent of disease, relapse and age-matching variables, was performed between the two groups, resulting in 20 paired matches. This prospective study was planned as an unblinded, non-randomized quasiexperimental pilot project. Outcomes were identified from results of sputum smear examinations for AFB in both groups at 2 weeks, and 1 and 2 months. The paired matching data were analyzed using the SAS program version 8.1 by McNemar test. Results : At the end of 2 weeks of treatment, the sputum smear conversion of the mDOT group was somewhat higher than that of the self medication group (78.57 vs. 50%, p-value=0.289), and after 1 month of treatment no statistically significant difference was shown between the two groups (83.33 vs. 50, p-value=0.125). At the end of 2 months of treatment (initial intensive phase), the sputum smear conversions of the mDOT and self groups were 95 and 75%, respectively (p-value=0.219). Conclusions : The implementation of mDOT did not result in clinically significant increases in the sputum smear conversion at 2 weeks, and 1 and 2 months compared with that of the self medication group. However, the increases experienced might contribute to diminishing the infectious period of AFB positive patients, and this approach may act as a guide for a specific group of patients. In this study, mDOT was performed for one hundred percent of the intensive treatment phase. It can also be an effective treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis patients, and may be useful for some high risk tuberculosis patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8607-8612
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• 2014

Background: Breast cancer patients experience a variety of altered appearance - such as loss or disfigurement of breasts, discolored skin, and hair loss - which result in psychological distress that affect their quality of life. This study aims to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status on the altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life among Korean breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at advocacy events held at 16 different hospitals in Korea. Subjects were eligible to participate if they were 18 years of age or older, had a histologically confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer, had no evidence of recurrence or metastasis, and had no psychological problems at the time of the survey. Employment status, marital status, education, and income were assessed for patient socioeconomic status. Altered appearance distress was measured using the NCI's cancer treatment side effects scale; body image and quality of life were measured by the EORTC QLC-C30 and BR23. Means and standard deviations of each outcome were compared by socioeconomic status and multivariate linear regression models for evaluating the association between socioeconomic status and altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life. Results: A total of 126 breast cancer patients participated in the study; the mean age of participants was 47.7 (SD=8.4). Of the total, 83.2% were married, 85.6% received more than high school education, 35.2% were employed, and 41% had more than $3000 in monthly household income. About 46% had mastectomy, and over 30% were receiving either chemotherapy or radiation therapy at the time of the survey. With fully adjusted models, the employed patients had significantly higher altered appearance distress (1.80 vs 1.48; p<0.05) and poorer body image (36.63 vs 51.69; p<0.05) compared to the patients who were unemployed. Higher education (10.58, standard error (SE)=7.63) and family income (12.88, SE=5.08) was positively associated with better body image after adjusting for age, disease stage at diagnosis, current treatment status, and breast surgery type. Similarly, patients who were married and who had higher education had better quality of life were statistically significant in the multivariate models. Conclusions: Socioeconomic status is significantly associated with altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life in Korean women with breast cancer. Patients who suffer from altered appearance distress or lower body image are much more likely to experience psychosocial, physical, and functional problems than women who do not, therefore health care providers should be aware of the changes and distresses that these breast cancer patients go through and provide specific information and psychosocial support to socioeconomically more vulnerable patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2013

Purpose: Home-based care providers were surveyed to assess the effect of collaborative service between Gyeongnam Regional Cancer Center (GRCC) and public health centers (PHCs) in Gyeongnam province. Methods: Twenty home-based care providers who had previously participated in the GRCC-PHC care project were recruited from nine PHCs and were surveyed using a questionnaire developed by specialists. Questions were rated using the 5-point Likert scale ranging from "strongly disagree (-2)" to "strongly agree (+2)" and each score was multiplied by the corresponding number of respondents (n=20) with the maximum score of 40. Results: Between January 2008 and December 2011, 73 patients were registered to the collaborative service: 72 by GRCC and one by PHC. Home-based care providers marked the highest score (23 points) to "The collaborative service contributed to patients and their family's psychological stability" and the lowest score (11 points) to "The collaborative service was generally helpful for home-based cancer management." For possible suggestions to improve the service, the highest score (35 points) was given to "Simplification of the hospitalization process" followed by "Substantial benefits for patients at their visit to the hospital" (34 points). Conclusion: The results revealed several limitations of the GRCC-PHC collaborative care service for terminal cancer patients. The service could be further improved by developing measures to address the limitations and a service model tailored to region-specific needs.