• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2021

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can manifest in a range of symptoms, including both asymptomatic systems which appear nearly non-existent to the patient, all the way to the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Specifically, COVID-19-associated pneumonia develops into ARDS due to the rapid progression of hypoxia, and although arterial blood gas analysis can assist in halting this deterioration, the current environment provided by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to an overall lack of medical resources or equipment, has made it difficult to administer such tests in a widespread manner. As a result, this study was conducted in order to determine whether the levels of oxygen saturation (SpO₂) and the fraction of inhaled oxygen (FiO₂) (SF ratio) can also serve as predictors of ARDS and the patient's risk of mortality. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted from February 2020 to Mary 2020, with the study's subjects consisting of COVID-19 pneumonia patients who had reached a state of deterioration that required the use of oxygen therapy. Of the 100 COVID-19 pneumonia cases, we compared 59 pneumonia patients who required oxygen therapy, divided into ARDS and non-ARDS pneumonia patients who required oxygen, and then investigated the different factors which affected their mortality. Results: At the time of admission, the ratios of SpO₂, FiO₂, and SF for the ARDS group differed significantly from those of the non-ARDS pneumonia support group who required oxygen (p<0.001). With respect to the predicting of the occurrence of ARDS, the SF ratio on admission and the SF ratio at exacerbation had an area under the curve which measured to be around 85.7% and 88.8% (p<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified that the SF ratio at exacerbation (hazard ratio [HR], 0.916; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.846-0.991; p=0.029) and National Early Warning Score (NEWS) (HR, 1.277; 95% CI, 1.010-1.615; p=0.041) were significant predictors of mortality. Conclusion: The SF ratio on admission and the SF ratio at exacerbation were strong predictors of the occurrence of ARDS, and the SF ratio at exacerbation and NEWS held a significant effect on mortality.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.415-426
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• 2016

With a rapidly increasing number of foreign patients in Korea, it is necessary to manage and enhance the quality of nursing care for foreign inpatients through the promotion of studies on practical nursing care experience. This study is a qualitative study conducted to understand and describe the care experiences of nurses responsible for non-English speaking foreign inpatients. There were 10 nurses with a clinical career of more than two years included in this study for analysis. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Five themes emerged from the analysis. 'Aware of cultural differences', 'establish trusting relationships through all my heart', 'additional nursing task', 'empathy for genuine nursing', 'sorriness and relieved'. The results of this study provided the understanding on the experiences of nurses, who do not speak English, but still responsible for providing care to foreign inpatients. Despite the language barrier, cultural differences, and work overload, nurses caring for foreign patients struggled with authenticity in nursing. On the other hand, as there was a lack of system resources, such as manuals and training materials in various languages other than English, institutions should put forth greater effort and resources to be prepared to care for foreign inpatients.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.67-90
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• 2007

Could STS throw another-colored light on the Hwang's Affair, the scientific fraud committed by Hwang Woo-Suk and his research team in Korea? And could analytic tools of STS unfold another meanings which have been overlooked in most of the traditionally social-sciences-oriented analyses? In this essay, I try to answer these questions by analyzing the Hwang's Affair in the view of STS, especially by using some concepts of actor-network theory(ANT): movement, translation and displacement. I want to say that the Hwang's Affair seems to be a part of normal scientific activity, not an abnormal phenomenon, and as an evidence, focus on the similarities of their life styles between "pure/real scientist" Louis Pasteur and "impure/political scientist" Hwang Woo-Suk. I try to mobilize some concepts of ANT, especially movement, and find out why scientists came to move toward the opposed direction on the pure/real-impure/political line. I suggest that there exists "laboratory politics" as the key factor in this bifurcation. My tentative conclusion is that Pasteur can take a position to make his great world, so-called the Pasteurian world, owing to the success of "double movement" in which he treated his laboratory as a fulcrum to lift up the world, but Hwang degrades himself to "ugly scientific politician" due to the loss of the momentum of his movement; Hwang treated his laboratory only as the symbolic resources and in turn failed to solidify material entities, his real political resources, even though he knew the importance of laboratory.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3451-3455
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• 2014

Background: The serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level can reflect tumor growth, recurrence and metastasis. It has been reported that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in exons 19 and 21may have an important relationship with tumor cell sensitivity to EGFR-TKI therapy. In this study, we investigated the clinical value of EGFR mutations and serum CEA in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods: The presence of mutations in EGFR exons 19 and 21 in the tissue samples of 315 patients with NSCLC was detected with real-time fluorescent PCR technology, while the serum CEA level in cases who had not yet undergone surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy were assessed by electrochemical luminescence. Results: The mutation rates in EGFR exons 19 and 21 were 23.2% and 14.9%, respectively, with the two combined in 3.81%. Measured prior to the start of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted treatment, serum CEA levels were abnormally high in 54.3% of the patients. In those with a serum CEA level <5 ng/mL, the EGFR mutation rate was 18.8%, while with 5~19 ng/mL and ${\geq}20ng/mL$, the rates were 36.4% and 62.5%. In addition, in the cohort of patients with the CEA level being 20~49 ng/mL, the EGFR mutation rate was 85.7%, while in those with the CEA level ${\geq}50ng/mL$, the EGFR mutation rate was only 20.0%, approximately the same as in cases with the CEA level<5 ng/mL. Conclusions: There is a positive correlation between serum CEA expression level and EGFR mutation status in NSCLC patients, namely the EGFR mutation-positive rate increases as the serum CEA expression level rises within a certain range (${\geq}20ng/mL$, especially 20~49 ng/mL). If patient samples are not suitable for EGFR mutation testing, or cannot be obtained at all, testing serum CEA levels might be a simple and easy screening method. Hence, for the NSCLC patients with high serum CEA level (${\geq}20ng/mL$, especially 20~49 ng/mL), it is worthy of attempting EGFR-TKI treatment, which may achieve better clinical efficacy and quality of life.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.3444-3450
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• 2009

Our study was carried out to suggest the way of improving the accessibility of medical service through identifying the factors that make patients be hospitalized in non-residential area not in their residential area. The subjects were 523,782 inpatients of the 2005 Patient Survey data. The 2004 Hospital Evaluation data, the 2005 census data which were obtained from the Korean National Statistics Office, and the 2006 Survey on National Healthcare Resources data were used. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test and logistic regression in a SAS program. The most important factor was quality level of care of local hospitals. In the possibility of being hospitalized in non-residential areas, the region with the score of more than 9.5 per 100,000 people in the hospital evaluation was 8.3 times more than the region with the score of less than 9.5. However patients is hospitalized in the area with the hospitals with above 910 beds per 100,000 people more than in the area with the hospitals with less than 910 beds by 2.0 times. For the accessibility of medical services, government policy should focus on improving the quality of care in local hospitals not on increasing and distributing health care resources.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.545-554
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• 2021

According to the changes of the medical environment of the times, it is necessary to discuss the issues of the doctor's medical guidance and to conduct continuous research so that alternatives can be prepared systematically. Furthermore, in order to enhance the professionalism of radiological technologists and to develop the medical technician system, the new Radiological Technologist Independent Act has been established, which contains the overall contents of the scope of work, professional qualifications, and specialized education of radiological technologists, and provides quality medical services to patients through professional procedures and treatment. In order to increase the level of medical care, the purpose, definition, mission, role, and scope of work specified in the Medical Act, Medical Service Technologists, etc. Act, the Enforcement Decree, and the Enforcement Rules were variously analyzed and new directions were presented. First, the definition of a medical technician should use a generic term so that the factors of conflict and prejudice could be resolved. Second, change the doctor's guide to doctor's prescription; and then legislate the authority to sign and write medical records after examination by radiological technologists, thereby prohibiting unlicensed technicians that seriously endanger patient safety. Third, an accurate definition of radiological technologists' roles should be established; not only selection and management of radiological technologists' work but also procedures and treatment for each radiology field should be specified to suit the current medical system. Fourth, a professional radiological technologists' qualification system and a specialized education system should be established in order to secure human resources that could provide patients trust in procedures and treatment based on professional knowledge and experience in the field of radiology. Fifth, the Education and Evaluation Institute should be operated in Korea education system to educate the professional knowledge and competency for students. In addition, it is necessary to in-depth analysis of foreign cases could be applied to the medical system and education system in Korea; it could strive to nurture systematic human resources.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 2006

Background : Utilization review has been adopted as a vehicle for cost and utilization control of health care services. Its role was further stressed and expanded through the establishment of Health Insurance Review Agency in 2001. This article is to introduce concept, activities, and effect of utilization review based on the experiences of U.S. and to suggest important characteristics for ideal utilization review activities at the national level in Korea. Method : Twenty-five articles related with utilization review were reviewed after being selected through web site search through Med Line and Richis. Result : Utilization review was introduced mainly for health care expenditure control either by insurer, provider or the third parties under the pressure of increasing health care cost. It's activities can be categorized to prospective, concurrent and retrospective review according to the time of service provision. Based on most of studies, utilization review has been effective in controling rising health care cost and utilization. However it's effectiveness assumes a reimbursement structure of managed care like capitation payment. More worse, it is still unknown it's effectiveness on quality of care. Conclusion : Utilization review should be employed to increase the cost effectiveness of medical care by optimizing quality and patient's outcomes while also attempting to reduce the use of resources. So, it should consider outcomes before expenditures, check for both under and over-use, and construct an structure in which consumption is reduced equitably. Aggressive adoption of utilization review in Korean health care setting with fee-for-service reimbursement structure might not be a cost-effective approach before adoption of prospective payment system such as D.R.G. and capitation.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1081-1090
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a Self-efficacy-based Basic Life Support (SEBLS) program for high-risk patients' family caregivers on cardiac arrest. The SEBLS program was constructed on the basis of Bandura's self-efficacy resources as well as the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation's '2000 Guidelines for CPR and ECC'. Method: The effect of the SEBLS program on emergency response self-efficacy and emergency response behavior such as BLS(Basic Life Support) knowledge and BLS skill performance was measured by a simulated control group pretest-posttest design. Study subjects were38 high-risk patients' family caregivers(20 experimental subjects and 18 control subjects) whose family patients were admitted to a general hospital in Incheon, Korea. Result: 1. Emergency response self-efficacy was significantly higher in the experimental subjects who participated in the SEBLS program than in the control subjects. (t=8.3102, p=0.0001). 2. For emergency response behavior, BLS knowledge (t=5.6941, p=0.0001) and BLS skill performance (t=27.8281, p=0.0001) was significantly higher in experimental subjects than in control subjects. Conclusion: A SEBLS program can increase emergency response self-efficacy and emergency response behavior, and could be an effective intervention for high-risk patient's family caregivers. Long-term additional studies are needed to determine the lasting effects of the program.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2002

With the dynamically changing environment of society, managing change is the vital element of organizations's survival and growth. Health care organizations have expended enormous resources to restructure patient care delivery. Despite the growing literature describing these organizational innovations, there is a paucity of credible data that reflects systematic measurement and evaluation of such changes. This study examined the nurses' psychological response toward the work process redesign, newly introduced by the nursing department in a acute care hospital. The aim of the study was to figure out how nurses's general perception of change and perceived attributes of change affected their acceptance of change during the organizational transition. This was descriptive- correlational. The sample for the study included 50 head nurses and 135 staff nurses. Data was analyzed using SPSS PC+, version 10.0. The major findings of the study were as follows: First, the mean score of the perception of change was 71.2(SD=13.8) with the range of 0-100, which means nurses generally perceived change positively. There were significant differences in perception of change by gender and education level. Head nurses perceived change more positively than staff nurses. The higher education level showed the more positive view of change. Second, among the perceived attributes of change, trialability had the highest mean score, which means nurses perceived the change more positively if it is testable on a limited basis. Relative advantage was perceived the most negatively. Finally, factors influencing the acceptability of the work-process redesign were perceived comparability, complexity, relative advantage, and observability, which accounted for 43.7% of the variance in the acceptability of change. This study evaluated the preliminary effects of the nursing process for reengineering, focusing on nurses' acceptability towards change. The usefulness of this research study was to determine the factors influencing acceptance of organizational members during transitional periods of change and to suggest effective strategies for increasing adoption as well as for decreasing resistance to change.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3541-3547
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• 2013

Background: This cross-sectional observational study was undertaken to establish clinico-pathological characteristics of patients with gynecological malignancies, focusing mainly on symptoms, histological type and stage of the disease at presentation, in a tertiary care setting in Eastern India. Materials and Methods: In the gynecology out-patient clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata, India, the patients with suggestive symptoms of gynecological malignancies were screened. Their diagnoses were confirmed by histopathology. One hundred thirteen patients with histopathologically confirmed gynecological malignancies were interviewed. Results: The most frequently reported symptoms by the patients with histopathologically confirmed gynecological malignancies were excessive, offensive with or without blood stained vaginal discharge (69.0%), irregular, heavy or prolonged vaginal bleeding (36.3%) and postmenopausal bleeding (31.9%). The majority of the patients (61.0%) had squamous cell carcinoma on histopathological examination, followed by adenocarcinoma (30.1%). Nearly half of the patients (48.7%) were suffering from the Federation Internationale des Gynaecologistes et Obstetristes (FIGO) stage III, followed by stage II (40.7%) malignancy. Conclusions: This study highlights that most of the patients with gynecological malignancies present late at an appropriate health care facility. Ovarian cancer may often have non-specific or misleading symptomatic presentation, whereas cervical cancer often presents with some specific symptoms. These observations point to the need for increasing awareness about gynecological malignancies in the community and providing easily accessible adequate facilities for early detection and treatment of the disease by optimal use of available resources, i.e. strengthening the primary health care system.