• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.141-159
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether a mobile health (mhealth) intervention is effective in reducing weight and changing dietary behavior among employees with overweight and obesity. The study also investigated whether engagement with the intervention affected its effectiveness. Methods: The intervention involved the use of a dietary coaching app, a wearable device for monitoring physical activity and body composition, and a messenger app for communicating with participants and an intervention manager. A total of 235 employees were recruited for a 12-week intervention from eight workplaces in Korea. Questionnaire surveys, anthropometric measurements, and 24-h dietary recalls were conducted at baseline and after the intervention. Results: After the intervention, significant decreases in the mean body weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, and waist circumference were observed. Furthermore, the consumption frequencies of multigrain rice and legumes significantly increased, whereas those of pork belly, instant noodles, processed meat, carbonated beverages, and fast food significantly decreased compared with those at baseline. The mean dietary intake of energy and most nutrients also decreased after the intervention. When the participants were categorized into three groups according to their engagement level, significant differences in anthropometric data, dietary behaviors, and energy intake were observed following the intervention, although there were no differences at baseline, indicating that higher engagement level led to greater improvements in weight loss and dietary behavior. Conclusions: The intervention had positive effects on weight loss and dietary behavior changes, particularly among employees with higher engagement levels. These results indicate the importance of increasing the level of engagement in the intervention to enhance its effectiveness. The mhealth intervention is a promising model for health promotion for busy workers with limited time.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.97-113
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• 2009

Objectives: This study was conducted to identify the intervention effects on health efficacy and health knowledge related to health behaviors for improving cardiovascular health in elementary school children. Methods: A repeated measure, pre-post-test design was used to identify the intervention effect on health efficacy and health knowledge among 5th grade school children. Intervention consisted of a curriculum classroom intervention and parent intervention. Health efficacy, health knowledge, and perceived parental monitoring were measured for testing intervention effect. A sample of 219 participants completed a baseline pre-test and two tests during intervention and after intervention from March to July 2004. Results: Mental health efficacy improved significantly from baseline test to the test after intervention (F = 32.88, p < 0.0001). Physical health efficacy also significantly increased during intervention (F = 50.51, p < 0.0001), but did not significantly change after parent intervention. Health knowledge increased significantly from baseline test to the test after education (F =10.23, p < 0.0001), but decreased after parent intervention. Perceived parental monitoring had a significant impact on mental health efficacy and physical health efficacy. Conclusion: The findings support school-based cardiovascular health promotion intervention as effective in improving health efficacy and health knowledge. Parental influence should also be considered to maintain improved health efficacy and health knowledge by thinking process in the intervention for elementary school children.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.7117-7121
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• 2015

Background: The effects of home nursing intervention on the quality of life in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy and chemotherapy are unclear. According to the characteristics of nursing home patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, we should continuously improve the nursing plan and improve the quality of life of patients at home. Materials and Methods: We selected 180 patients at home with NPC after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The patients were randomly divided into experimental and control groups (90 patients each). The experimental group featured intervention with an NPC home nursing plan, while the control group was given routine discharge and outpatient review. Nursing intervention for patients was mainly achieved by regular telephone follow-up and home visits. We use the quality of life scale (QOL-C30), anxiety scale (SAS) and depression scale (SDS) to evaluate these patients before intervention, and during follow-up at 1 month and 3 months after the intervention. Results: Overall health and quality of life were significantly different between the groups (p<0.05), Emotional function score was significantly higher after intervention (p<0.05), as were cognitive function and social function scores after 3 months of intervention (p<0.05). Scores of fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, appetite and constipation were also significantly different between the two groups (p<0.05). Rates of anxiety and depression after 3 months of intervention were 11.1%, 22.2% and 34.4%, 53.3%, the differences being significant (p<0.05). Conclusions: NPC home nursing plan could effectively improve overall quality of life, cognitive function, social function (after 3 months) of patients, but improvement regarding body function is not suggested. Fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, appetite, constipation were clearly improved. We should further pursue a personalized, comprehensive measurements for nursing interventions and try to improve the quality of life of NPC patients at home.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.37-45
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• 2020

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of neck stabilization exercise combined with trunk stabilization exercise on balance and gait function in patients with chronic stroke. METHODS: Twenty-two chronic stroke patients were included in this study. The experimental group subjects (n = 11) performed neck stabilization (15 min) and trunk stabilization (15 min) exercises, while the control group subjects (n = 11) performed trunk stabilization exercise only for 30 min. Before and after the intervention, the subjects underwent static balance and gait testing. RESULTS: The 95% confidence ellipse area, center of pressure (COP) path length, and COP average velocity were significantly lower in both groups after the intervention compared to before intervention (p < .05). The average stance force on the affected side increased significantly in both groups after the intervention (p < .05). The changes in the static balance variables were larger in the experimental group than in the control group. The cadence, gait velocity, and single leg support increased significantly in both groups after intervention (p < .05). The changes in the gait variables were larger in the experimental group than in the control group. CONCLUSION: Trunk stabilization is a beneficial intervention, but the combination of neck stabilization with trunk stabilization is a more effective method to increase the gait and static balance in chronic stroke patients.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.461-471
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• 2006

Purpose: The Purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of antioxidant vitamins and minerals supplementation on blood pressure and lipids in the elderly with hypertension. Methods: This study adopted a unequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. For this study, 79 subjects with hypertension were selected among the home visiting clients of public health centers. The experimental group received 12-weeks' treatment with antioxidant vitamin A, C, E, carotene, magnesium and selenium and the control group did not take any antioxidant vitamin and mineral. Results: There were statistical differences in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure between the experimental group and the control group after the intervention. In the experimental group, systolic blood pressure decreased from 145.4mmHg before the intervention to 135.7mmHg after the intervention, and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 88.3mmHg before the intervention to 81.9mmHg after the intervention. However, there were no statistical differences in total cholesterol and triglyceride between the experimental group and the control group after the intervention. Conclusions: A short-term supplementation with antioxidant vitamins & minerals can reduce blood pressure in the elderly with hypertension. The continuous effects of the supplementation and its beneficial effects on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases still need to be studied further.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.71-82
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of training using video content on abdominal muscle thickness, Oswestry disability index (ODI), and pain in college students with chronic back pain. METHODS: Twenty-nine college students with chronic back pain participated in this study. The subjects were assigned randomly to 15 experimental groups who trained using video content and 14 control groups who exercised voluntarily using back exercise leaflets. The video used for the intervention was obtained from YouTube, and the difficulty level of the video was classified into six levels. Both groups participated in the intervention for 40 minutes/day, three times a week for six weeks, and the variables of abdominal muscle thickness, ODI, and pain were compared before and after the intervention. RESULTS: In the experimental group, there were statistically significant changes in the thickness of the internal oblique and transverse abdominis muscles, ODI, and pain after the intervention, except for the external oblique muscle (p < .05). In the control group, there was no statistically significant difference in all variables after the intervention (p > .05). A statistically significant difference in all variables was observed between the experimental group and the control group after the intervention except for the external oblique muscle (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Treatment of chronic low back pain using video content is a possible alternative treatment if quality images are selected and the difficulty levels are adjusted.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.10 no.9
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• pp.200-205
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• 2020

This study investigates the effects of instrument-assisted soft mobilization (IASTM) and manual myofascial release (MFR) on the muscle activity of the biceps brachii. This study was conducted on 10 men and women in their 20s, and all subjects participated in the experiment for 3 days and measured muscle activity of the upper forearm muscles. On the first day, the muscle activity value was measured before the intervention, and the remaining two days were measured for muscle activity after the intervention of each manual therapy in a random order. All muscle activity values were compared and analyzed through the dependent t test and the independent t test. The before and after comparison of muscle activity values before and after each intervention was verified by performing the dependent t test and comparing the values of muscle activity between groups between each intervention after intervention by performing an independent t test. According to the results of this study, both interventions significantly increased muscle activity of the biceps brachii before and after intervention, and there was no significant difference in muscle activity values between groups after intervention. Therefore, both manual therapy (IASTM, MFR) are thought to be effective in improving neuromuscular control ability.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2023

Purpose : Transcranial direct current stimulation is noninvasive method of cerebral cortical stimulation applied as an intervention to facilitate recovery in stroke patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on depression and anxiety in stroke patients with the aim to finding a reliable method to reduce depression and anxiety in stroke patients. Methods : This study was conducted at A hospital located in D city from December 2022 to February 2023. Patients diagnosed with stroke were selected according to predefined study criteria and divided into two groups. 9 patients in experimental group underwent transcranial direct current stimulation and traditional occupational therapy, while 9 patients in the control group underwent sham transcranial direct current stimulation and traditional occupational therapy for 20 min per session 3 times per week for a total of 8 weeks. Beck depression inventory (BDI) and Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) were used to evaluate depression and anxiety in the patients before and after intervention. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare differences before to after intervention. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the two groups. Differences with p<.05 were considered statistically significant. Results : First, both the experimental and control groups presented significant statistical difference before and after intervention on depression (p<.01). Comparison of two groups after intervention showed significant statistical difference in depression (p<.05). Second, the groups presented significant statistical difference before and after intervention on anxiety (p<.01). After intervention, the two groups showed significant statistical difference in anxiety (p<.05). Conclusion : Results of the present study demonstrated the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on depression and anxiety in stroke patients, suggesting it may be a useful method of rehabilitation in this patient population; as such, further studies are warranted.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.49-60
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• 2022

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify whether gym-ball exercise in standing position was an effective intervention for improving muscle strength, balance, gait, and fall efficacy in stroke patients. Methods : Twenty-four stroke patients were randomized into three groups: experimental group 1 (n=8), experimental group 2 (n=8), and control group (n=8). Experimental groups 1, 2 and the control group performed the gym-ball exercise in standing position, same exercise without a gym-ball, and general physical therapy for 4 weeks, five times a week in 30-minute sessions. Muscle strength, balance, gait, and fall efficacy were assessed using a handheld dynamometer, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the wearable BTS G-WALK® sensor, and the Korean version of the Falls Efficacy Scale (K-FES), before and after training, respectively. Comparisons within and between groups were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test, Kruskal Wallis H test, and Mann-Whitney U test. Bonferroni correction was performed when significant differences between groups were identified (p<.017, .05/3). Results : Regarding muscle strength, BBS score, cadence and FES-K were significantly improved after intervention in all three groups. The weight bearing rate, gait speed and step length in experimental group 1 and 2 were significantly improved after the intervention. The stride length in experimental group 1 were significantly improved after the intervention. Experimental group 1 had significantly improved BBS score and stride length after intervention than experimental group 2 and control group. Experimental group 1 and 2 improved muscle strength, weight bearing rate, and FES-K score more than the control group. Experimental group 1 showed significant improvement in cadence, gait speed, and step length after the intervention than control group. Conclusion : This study showed that exercise with gym-ball in standing position can be an effective intervention to improve balance and gait in stroke patients than the same exercise without gym-ball.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2015

Background: This study investigates the impact of the cervical musculoskeletal intervention on post-traumatic stress disorder patient's cervical pain levels and depression factor. Methods: Thrty neck pain patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder were enrolled. Neck exercise training using a sling system was applied to the experimental group and self-neck movement exercise, modification of the McKenzie exercise, was applied to the control group. Both groups were checked every week whether they performed or not. Both groups performed their exercise for 35 minutes for a time and 3 times per week. Total period of the intervention was 6 weeks. To compare the effects of interventions, threshold of cervical tenderness and depression level were measured before and after the each intervention and also measured at follow-up. Results: Painthreshold of left trapezius showed a significant difference between two groups at three points. It increased 19.71% in the experimental group after the intervention compared to before the intervention. At follow-up it also increased 20.06% in the experimental group. Pain threshold of right trapezius showed a significant difference at three points. It increased 18.35% in the experimental group after the intervention compared to before the intervention. At follow-up it also increased 15.93% in the experimental group. According to the result interaction between groups and measurement time in both side of trapezius was valid. Depression level showed significant difference in the experimental group between three points. It decreased 18.07% after the intervention compared to before the intervention and decreased 15.21% at follow-up. According to the result interaction between groups and measurement time in depression level was valid. Conclusions: This study has important implications as the therapeutic strategy, high potent of improving symptoms, shows effect to a subject who has psychological problem such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).