• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.23-32
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• 2023

Purposes: Caregivers are placed in a poor working environment because there is no special legal basis or definition in the current medical system, and they have difficulty in supplying manpower due to frequent job change and retirement. Therefore, this study aimed to find out the effect on job consciousness, job stress, job satisfaction, and turnover intention of caregivers in nursing hospitals for the elderly. Methodology: In this study, a survey was conducted from May 2nd to 16th, 2022, targeting caregivers with more than 6 months of work experience working at 10 nursing hospitals in D City. Data were collected through convenience sampling, and a self-administered questionnaire method was used, in which subjects filled out a questionnaire. A total of 240 questionnaires were distributed, and 220 copies were considered for the final analysis after excluding non-response or inappropriate questionnaires for data use. Data analysis used t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis, and the main results are as follows. Findings: Job stress and job satisfaction showed a significant correlation with the level of turnover intention, and were also found to be major determinants. On the other hand, among the occupational characteristics of the study subjects, employment type, job motivation, service period, number of patients, injury experience, and license status showed a significant difference from turnover intention. Conclusion: As a result of the above research, in order to prevent job turnover and retirement by improving job stress and job satisfaction of caregivers engaged in nursing hospitals, it is necessary not only to legalize caregivers, but also to secure an appropriate level of caregivers for nursing hospitals and improve specific treatment for caregivers. Ultimately, a policy alternative that can provide quality nursing service is required.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.544-553
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: There are concerns about the adverse health effects of behavioral changes linked to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We conducted a survey to investigate changes in lifestyle habits, including exercise and eating, during the COVID-19 pandemic and their association with changes in weight. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We conducted a survey of 5,000 people in Hakui City, Japan, to assess their lifestyles and diets during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 3,992 complete responses were received. We also obtained pre- and post-pandemic health check-up data for 704 of the respondents. These health data were combined with the results of the questionnaire survey to identify factors associated with weight changes. Data were analyzed for 704 individuals. RESULTS: The mean body mass index was 22.5 ± 3.1 kg/m² for respondents whose weight did not change and 25.1 ± 2.7 kg/m² for respondents whose weight increased. The pre-pandemic mean values for abdominal circumference in females and for gamma-glutamyl transferase in males tended to be higher in those whose weight increased. Those with decreased weight tended to be older. Respondents who were already overweight were more likely to gain weight because of COVID-19-related changes in their lifestyle. In males, alcohol consumption was directly associated with weight, and in females, abdominal circumference was more important. CONCLUSION: The study found pre-pandemic overweight individuals likely gained more weight during it, with alcohol consumption being a significant factor for males. Weight loss was more crucial for those over 70, rather than weight gain.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.41-73
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• 2006

Using 1998~2003 data of the Korea Labor and Income Panel Survey, we analyze the scale, characteristics, and dynamic transition of working poors. The result shows that more than half of the poor families are working poors and that a considerable portion of economically active households is in poverty. However, compare to other kinds of poor families, working poors can easily escape from poverty once after they entered into poverty. When household head is elderly and less educated, the risk of working poor is relatively high. Also, self-employed households have high risk of working poor compare to households having wage worker(s). To ease the problem of working poor, creation of decent jobs and human resource development for vulnerable groups are important. Especially, the creation of decent jobs will do critical roles not only in solving employment issues but also in moderating income inequality among families. Policy development for self-employed in the brink of poverty and establishment of a solid social security system for working poors are also recommended.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.98-103
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• 2013

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common complication in elderly patients with atrial septal defect (ASD). The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of the maze procedure in these patients. Materials and Methods: Between February 2000 and May 2011, 46 patients underwent the maze procedure as a concomitant operation with ASD closure. Three patients who underwent a right-sided maze were excluded, and one patient was lost to follow-up. The mean follow-up duration was $3.2{\pm}2.5$ years. Electrocardiography was performed 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after surgery, and checked annually after that. Results: AF persisted in 4 patients after surgery. One year after surgery, among 38 patients, 55.3% remained in sinus rhythm without antiarrhythmic drugs. However, when including the patients who took antiarrhythmic drugs, 92.1% were in sinus rhythm. Freedom from AF recurrence at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and 5 years after surgery were $97.4{\pm}2.6$, $94.4{\pm}3.8$, $91.2{\pm}4.9$, $87.8{\pm}5.8$, $79.5{\pm}7.6$, and $68.2{\pm}12.4$, respectively. There was no early mortality after operation. Conclusion: Concomitant treatment with the maze procedure and ASD closure is safe and effective for restoring the sinus rhythm.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2020

Purpose: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common disease in elderly patients and is usually treated by burr-hole drainage. However, the optimal surgical technique for treating CSDH has not been determined. In this study, we analyzed outcomes and recurrence rates after burr-hole drainage with or without irrigation in patients with CSDH. Methods: Eighty-two CSDH patients treated with burr-hole drainage at Wonju Severance Christian Hospital from March 2015 to June 2016 were enrolled in this study. The subjects were divided into three groups based on the surgical technique performed as follows: single burr-hole drainage without irrigation (group A, n=47), single burr-hole drainage with irrigation (group B, n=14), or double burr-hole drainage with irrigation (group C, n=21). These three groups were compared with respect to clinical and radiological factors and the recurrence rate, and independent factors predicting recurrence were sought. Results: After burr-hole drainage, CSDH recurred in 15 (18.3%) of the 82 patients, and six patients (7.3%) required reoperation. More specifically, recurrence was observed in 12 patients (25.5%) in group A, one (7.1%) in group B, and two (9.5%) in group C. The number of burr-holes did not significantly affect recurrence (odds ratio [OR]=0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.60-2.38), but irrigation had a significant effect (OR=0.20; 95% CI: 0.04-0.97). Conclusions: This study shows that irrigation during burr-hole surgery in CSDH patients significantly reduced the risk of recurrence, regardless of the number of burr-holes used. We therefore recommend the use of active irrigation during burr-hole drainage surgery in CSDH patients.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.238-245
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• 2014

Purpose: Gastric cancer often occurs in the elderly but is uncommon in young individuals. Whether young patients have different clinical behaviors and outcomes from those of older patients remain unclear. Materials and Methods: We identified 1,366 cases of newly diagnosed noncardia gastric adenocarcinoma from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Cancer Registry between 2000 and 2010. We then compared the clinicopathological features and survival among the different age groups. Results: The male : female ratio differed significantly between the younger and older patient groups (0.84 in age <50 years vs. 1.52>60 years, P<0.01). More younger patients were Hispanic (54% patients <40 years vs. 19% patients ${\geq}70$ years, P<0.0001), while more older patients were Caucasian (49% patients ${\geq}70$ years vs. 15% patients <40 years; P<0.0001). The diffuse/mixed histological type was more prevalent in younger patients (70% patients <40 years vs. 27% patients ${\geq}70$ years; P<0.0001), whereas the intestinal type was more frequent in older patients (71% in patients ${\geq}70$ years vs. 30% in patients <40 years; P<0.0001). Poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma was more common in the younger patients (80% in patients <40 years vs. 60% in patients ${\geq}70$ years; P=0.016). Survival rates at 1, 2, and 5 years gradually declined with increasing age (overall P=0.0002). Conclusions: Young patients with gastric cancer had more aggressive disease but higher overall survival rates than older patients. Younger Hispanic patients and older Caucasian patients were more likely to be diagnosed with gastric cancer. These differences may be due to biological predisposition and/or environmental exposure.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2002

It is already known that olfactory susceptibility differ with races and sex. Moreover, with aging both detection and identification about olfactory information were impaired. For researches about evaluation of the odor with aging, although the subject used, from infants to elderly, was various, the kinds of odor used were restricted to simple alcohol and acetic acid. Also, the evaluation methods were mainly used olfactory test. From over respects , this research was done as follows. Subjects were 19 to 72 years (n=50) whose sense-of-smell functions are normal. They were taken as stability and closed eye state. The odor stimuli were used 100% natural odor of six kinds of Basil, Lavender, Lemon, Jasmine, Ylangylang oil and Skatole , during 60 seconds using olfactometer. ECG, GSR and subjective evaluation were measured, and examined their relevance. Twenty and 40 ages group evaluated Lemon and 60 ages group did Lavender affirmatively. Correlation was seen among RRI, HR, GSR and subjective evaluation for 40 ages group, and it turns out that it is the group which a mature olfactory function most. These results are fully applied not only to development of the classified cosmetics for the age group but to development of the artificial smell and taste.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.94-99
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• 2020

Background: Intra-articular distal humeral fractures can be surgically challenging. It remains under discussion whether open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) or total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) is more beneficial for treatment of the elderly. This study aimed to compare the clinical and functional outcomes of ORIF and TEA for managing intra-articular distal humerus fractures in patients aged 65 years or older. Methods: Patients who underwent ORIF (n=28) or TEA (n=43) for in intra-articular distal humerus fracture between May 2008 and December 2018 were reviewed. Range of motion, Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score, radiologic outcomes, and surgical complications were evaluated at the final follow-up visit. Results: The ORIF and TEA groups showed a mean arc of flexion-extension of 97°±21° and 101°±12°, respectively. The mean MEPS and DASH scores were 94±15 and 27±12 points, respectively, in the ORIF group and 81±27 and 47±28 points in the TEA group. This difference was statistically significant. The incidence of total complications was similar between the groups. Conclusions: In patients older than 65 years with intra-articular distal humerus fracture, ORIF had better outcomes than TEA.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.187-198
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• 2017

In this study, we analyzed the accessibility of open platform Android mobile banking applications, based on Korean mobile application accessibility KS standard, Section 508 technical standard of Rehabilitation Act, and European BBC guidelines. Experimental result showed that there are no mobile banking applications of 8 commercial banks in Korea that satisfy all guidelines of three standards. Typical violations included missing alternative text, keyboard focus violations, control size and spacing non-compliance, and low contrast ratio. These violations are fatal in that they make the accessibility of the blind, the disabled and the low vision and the elderly impossible. The reason that mobile banking applications do not comply with accessibility is that mobile application developers and providers have low awareness of accessibility and do not know how to implement accessibility properly. Comparing Korea mobile application accessibility guidelines with the revised standard of the Section 508 of Rehabilitation Act and the BBC standard, many guidelines are missing. Also, evaluation criteria are ambiguous and abstract, making it difficult for developers to refer specifically. Therefore, improving mobile application accessibility requires developer and government efforts and complementation of standards.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.108-115
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• 2016

Fire detectors play an important role in alerting the related people to the initial stages of fire to protect assets and life. Therefore, the performance in detecting fires in the early stages without the risk of false alarms is important. Owing to a recent revision of the national fire safety standards to install smoke detectors in living rooms used for sleeping, staying, hospitalizing in apartment house/efficiency apartment/lodging facility/medical facility/facility for elderly and young, the application of smoke detectors is increasing. On the other hand, there is lack of research in preventing false alarms. This study improved algorithms to prevent false alarms in analog photoelectric smoke detector's due to sudden dust and better classify pollution and fire signals through a self-compensatory function. Through this study, alternatives are suggested to reduce the number of false alarms of Analog Photoelectric smoke detectors, and prevent financial losses due to false alarms.