• 대한상한금궤의학회지
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.179-188
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to report the improvement of a patient with nummular eczema treated by herbal medication based on the Shanghanlun disease pattern identification diagnostic system (DPIDS). Methods: According to the Shanghanlun DPIDS, the patient was diagnosed with Reverting yin disease (provision 351), and was administered Danggwihweyeok-tang for 30 days. The result of administration was evaluated by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and a visual analog scale (VAS). Results: After administration of Danggwihweyeok-tang for 30 days, the DLQI decreased from 18 to 0 and the VAS decreased from 10 to 1. Conclusions: The affected skin region recovered. This case report suggests that the words "厥" and "細" in the 351st Shanghanlun provision refer to physical and internal causes of nummular eczema.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.25-33
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• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the correlation between bone mineral density(BMD), age, weight, visual analog scale(VAS), menopausal rating scale(MRS), and to compare the difference between BMD, age, weight, VAS, MRS according to severity of the menopausal symptoms. Methods : The participants were 62 menopausal women diagnosed with osteoporosis who visited Cheonan Oriental Hospital, Daejeon University from December, 2011 to July, 2014. Age, weight, VAS, MRS were used as an evaluation tool. Results : 1. In all 62 cases of menopausal patients diagnosed with osteoporosis, the study found a statistically significant correlation between BMD and weight, while inverse correlation between BMD and MRS index. 2. Among menopausal patients with above 9 MRS index(group B), BMD and weight showed statistically significant correlation, while VAS and MRS index showed statistically significant inverse correlation. 3. Among group B, VAS were higher compared to control group(group A). Conclusions : This study showed that as patients with severer menopausal symptoms apt to show increased VAS and decreased BMD. Therefore, long-term follow-up in patients with menopausal syndrome is needed to improve the patients' quality of life.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.13
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• pp.5287-5291
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• 2014

Background: The cancer survival rate in Korea has substantially increased, necessitating the management of not only patients with cancer but also longer term survivors. Although the divorce rate has drastically increased in Korea, there is not sufficient research regarding the relationship between changes in marital status and quality of life (QOL) in cancer patients and survivors. Thus, we aimed to examine the relationship between marital status and QOL in such cases. Materials and Methods: This study was performed using the Community Health Survey of 2008 administered by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N=169,328). We used t-tests and Chi-square tests to compare demographic variables between men and women, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare QOL scores among comparison groups. We also performed a multilevel analysis on the relationship between QOL and marital status while accounting for provincial differences. Results: Decline of EuroQOL five dimensions (EQ-5D) in single patients with cancer was greater than in any other marital status group, but there was no statistically significant decline in survivors of cancer with regard to marital status. In the general population, the decline of EQ-5D was higher among single people than married people. Using the EuroQOL visual analog scale (EQ-VAS), single people had higher values than those of other marital status among both patients with cancer and survivors of cancer. In the general population, EQ-VAS values were higher for single people compared to married people. Conclusions: There may be a significant relationship between marital status and QOL in cancer patients and survivors. Policy interventions to manage patients with cancer who experience a decline in QOL as well as marital problems should be conducted.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.18-40
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• 2008

Measurements of health related quality of life can be used to compare patients with specific conditions to average individuals in the general population in a similar age and gender group. However there are few data available regarding health related quality of life for the general population of Korea. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the validity of the Korean version of EQ-5D and to measure the health related quality of life of the general adult population in a metropolitan city. The survey was cross-sectional and employed a stratified and multistage sampling design through 100 examination sites in 5 districts of UIsan. A total of 12,644 individuals from 4,112 households participated in the survey. Of these, we analyzed data from 8,068 adults who were over 19 years old and completed the EQ-5D. To examine the validity of the questionnaire, the differences in 5 dimensions and the $EQ-5D_{index}$ were analyzed with regard to demographic and socioeconomic factors such as sex, age, income, and education. In addition, visual analogue scales (VAS) were used to evaluate the overall health related quality of life issues of the respondents. The level of health related quality of life of the general adult population was then compared with the results from the third Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and other countries. There were a small number of people with problems related tomobility, self-care, and usual activity. In addition, many people complained ofpain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. The complaint rate in each dimension, VAS, and $EQ-5D_{index}$ indicated relatively better states for males, the younger group, the higher income group, and the higher education group. In addition, the level of health related quality of life of the general population of Ulsan was relatively higher than that of Koreans nationwide as well as the populations of other countries. EQ-SD provided a valid measure of the health-related quality of life of the general adult population. In addition, the results of a survey of Ulsan revealed that the quality of life of its population is better than that of the overall population of Korea and of the populations of other countries.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.49-59
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• 2017

Objectives: To measure the quality of life in patients according to virtual cerebral palsy severity by using the Korean version of EQ-5D-Y proxy, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and Time Trade-Off method (TTO). Methods: The study was conducted in parents of children and adolescents aged 4 to 15 years in Seoul. We analyzed the difference in the utility value according to five levels of cerebral palsy severity in the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and test-retest reliability. Results: 1. There were significant differences in VAS, TTO, and EQ-5D-Y proxy according to the cerebral palsy severity (p<.001). 2. VAS was significantly different according to the respondent's visit to the medical institution, the presence of disease in the respondent, a visit to the child's medical institution, the age of the child, and the sex of the child. The value of TTO was significantly different according to the respondent's visit to the medical institution, respondent's sex, and the age of the child. Also, EQ-5D-Y proxy was significantly different according to the age of the child. 3. Intraclass correlation coefficient values were more than 0.6 for both VAS and TTO at all stages. But for the EQ-5D-Y proxy, the value was less than 0.6 at all stages. Conclusions: The quality of life assessment using EQ-5D-Y proxy showed significant differences in the severity of cerebral palsy. However, large-scale studies using EQ-5D-Y proxy are needed because of low test-retest reliability.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.114-134
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• 2017

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the changes of women's postpartum symptoms, including their weights, edema index and quality of life (QOL) over the first six weeks after childbirth. Methods: The study participants were 31 postpartum women treated in the Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynecology, at Woo-Suk University Korean Medicine Hospital, from May 20th to August 5th, 2016. In the first 2 weeks of the postpartum period, the main data collection method was to interview each patient and write down all of their complaints, and additionally referring to each participant's PHR (Personal Health Records). At the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th week, the researcher interviewed participants by phone once a week. The participants' weight, edema index (ECW/TBW) and the quality of life (by EQ-VAS) were measured at 1st and 2nd week after childbirth. And, EQ-VAS was assessed once more at the 6th week after childbirth. As a last step, the participants responded to a survey on satisfaction regarding their postpartum care with Korean Medicine. Results: 1. In the 1st one week after childbirth, edema was the most frequent complaint. It was about joint pain of the upper limbs in the 2nd and 3rd weeks, sweating in the 4th week, and joint pain of the upper limbs in the 5th and the 6th weeks. 2. In the 1st two weeks of the postpartum period, the weight of the participants decreased from $66.33{\pm}9.30kg$ to $62.60{\pm}8.92kg$ (p<0.001) and the edema index ECW/TBW decreased from $0.399{\pm}0.010$ to $0.385{\pm}0.0 4$ (p<0.001). The EQ-VAS significantly improved from $61.77{\pm}17.72$ to $73.51{\pm}14.67$ (p<0.001). In the last 4-weeks of the postpartum period, the EQ-VAS decreased from $74.30{\pm}14.25$ to $73.63{\pm}13.35$, but this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.749). 3. Regarding the satisfaction with postpartum care with Korean Medicine, 60% of the participants responded that it was 'Excellent' and 40% said it was 'Good'. Conclusion: Over the entire postpartum period, the most frequent complaints were about musculoskeletal symptoms. Postpartum care with Korean Medicine treatments in the early postpartum period improves various postpartum symptoms and the quality of life for postpartum women.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.178-183
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• 2018

Pruritus is the most prominent symptom of atopic dermatitis and other skin diseases. It is not easily improved and is a major factor that threatens the quality of life of patients and their families. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of HyungGae-Water, which was bath preparation made from Korean medicine herbs, for children and adolescents suffering pruritus. The participants were 50 boys and girls aged from 2 to 15 years old. The HyungGae-Water was used once a day for 6 weeks, and we were followed up three times every two weeks. Of 50 participants enrolled, 47 completed the study. The outcome variables were dermatology quality of life scales in children, pruritus VAS, and investigator global assessment (IGA). The results of the study show that the dermatology quality of life is significantly improved and the VAS of pruritus has meaningful changes. In the IGA, moderate or severe improvement was observed in 48.9% and slight improvement in 17%. There were seven suspected or less relevant adverse events using HyungGae-Water. The present results suggest that the HyungGae-Water has alleviating effect for the pruritus in children and adolescents.

• Journal of the Korean society of biological therapies in psychiatry
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.163-172
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• 2018

Objectives : The aim of this study was to examine associations between quality of life in patients with schizophrenia and their family relationships. Methods : A total of 68 patients with schizophrenia participated in the study. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected, as well as results from the Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic Treatment Scale-Short Form(SWN-K), Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale(FEICS), a visual analogue scale for evaluating the degree of perceived criticism(VAS), the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale(FACES), Beck Cognitive Insight Scale(BCIS), and Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale(R-SES). Psychiatrists administered the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia(CDSS), and collected a history of previous suicide attempts. Results : The SWN-K total scores showed significant negative correlations with scores on the FEICS perceived criticism, CDSS, and VAS measures and significant positive correlations with scores on the R-SES, FACES, and BCIS. Multiple regression analysis revealed that FEICS perceived criticism, FACES, and BCIS scores were significantly associated with SWN-K scores. The FACES total score was significantly lower in patients with a history of previous suicide attempt. Conclusion : The quality of life of patients with schizophrenia was negatively associated with greater perceived familial criticism and positively associated with better family cohesion and higher patient insight. In patients with a history of suicide attempts, family adaptability and cohesion were significantly low.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.743-753
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the effects of a community-based first and third Intergenerational Exchange Program (IGEP) on older adults' health-related quality of life (HRQoL), loneliness, depression, and walking speed, and on 4~5-year-old preschool children's learning-related social skills. Methods: This study employed a non-equivalent control group pre-post-test design. The experimental group included 42 older adults and 42 children who participated in the IGEP for 8 weeks, and the control group included 39 older adults. The experimental group participated in the IGEP once a week for 8 weeks. It comprised a traditional play program based on the intergroup contact theory. Results: Compared to the control group, there was a significant increase in scores on the HRQoL-Visual analogue scale (VAS) and a decrease in loneliness and depression in older adults in the experimental group (p<.05). Children who participated in the IGEP showed an improvement in their learning-related social skills (p<.001). Conclusion: These results confirm that the IGEP is an effective intervention to improve HRQoL-VAS, loneliness, and depression among older adults and learning-related social skills among preschool children in the community.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.243-252
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• 2022

Objectives: Very limited previous research has investigated the utility weights of prostate-related diseases in the general population in Korea. The purpose of this study was to calculate the utility of prostate-related health states in the Korean general public using the standard gamble (SG) method. Methods: Seven health states for hypothetical prostate cancers, 1 for benign prostate hyperplasia, and 1 for erectile dysfunction were developed based on patient education material and previous publications. In total, 460 responses from the Korean general population were used to analyze the utility of prostate-related health states. Computer-assisted personal interviews were conducted, and utility values were measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and SG. Mean utility values were calculated for each prostate-related health state. Results: The mean utility values of prostate cancer derived from SG ranged from 0.281 (metastatic castration-refractory prostate cancer) to 0.779 (localized prostate cancer requiring prostatectomy). The utility value of benign prostate hyperplasia was 0.871, and that of erectile dysfunction was 0.812. The utility values obtained using the SG method in all conditions were higher than the values obtained by VAS. There were no significant demographic variables affecting utility values in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Our findings might be useful for economic evaluation and utility calculation of screening and interventions for prostate-related conditions in the general population.