• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2000

Populations both in the US and worldwide are aging. It is projected that by the year 2030 the population of Americans over 65 will increase to 70 million, more than twice their number in 1998. About one-third of elderly over the age of 65 have debilitating chronic health conditions that greatly impede their activities. Age-associated chronic diseases are believed to be associated with free radicals and the imbalance in antioxidant and oxidative stress contributes to development of several chronic health conditions. Diet and nutrients can have great impact in the health status of elderly. Several factors may contributor to the inadequate consumption of nutrients in elderly, including an inability to chew food adequately, polypharmacy, living along and limited income. Low intake of energy and several micronutrients are common among the elderly. Although overt deficiency of nutrients among the elderly is not common. a recent study showed that while elderly consume more fat, the total energy intake is low among the elderly. Inadequate intake of antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin E in elderly may contribute to the development of chronic health problems. Intake of higher than normal RDA levels of vitamin E for long periods of time has been shown to reduce the risk of many degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases(CVD) and cancer, and improve immune response in elderly. High intake of other antioxidants is also associated with reduced risk chronic diseases. Dietary antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables. However, due to variety of factors, the elderly may not be able to receive these and other micronutrients through diet. Therefore, supplemental intake of micronutrients in the form of multi vitamins/minerals and/or specific micronutrients is a more practical approach to the maintenance of health status in the elderly.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.341-352
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• 1997

The study was to examine the relationships among health promoting lifestyle, level of anxiety, and perceived health status and to reveal those variables. affecting health promoting lifestyle in Korean immigrants in the United States. The subjects were 425 adults chosen from Korean religious and social organizations located in New York from April 25th through July 5th. 1996. Data analyses were conducted by using Pearson correlation coefficients, t-test, ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression. The results were as follows : Health promoting lifestyle was significantly different according to age, religion. occupation, and the length of residence in the US. Those insured and those with no chronic conditions revealed a significantly higher score in health promoting lifestyle. Significant differences in the level of anxiety were found according to education, marital status, occupation, family income, and the length of residence. Those with no chronic conditions experienced a significantly lower level of anxiety. In the subscales of the health promoting lifestyle profile, self-actualization and interpersonal relationship revealed higher scores, whereas the scores of stress management, health responsibility, and exercise were lower. Those subjects whose perceived health status was very good, showed the lowest level of anxiety and the highest score on the health promoting lifestyle profile. Negative correlations were observed between the health promoting lifestyle profile and the level of anxiety, and between the perceived health status and the level of anxiety. Health promoting lifestyle was significantly predicted by the level of anxiety(22.0%), age(2.0%), health insurance(1.1%), respectively.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.211-219
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• 2020

Objectives: The goal of this study was to identify chronic conditions and multimorbidity patterns in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to examine their associations with pneumonia and death. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed the official data of COVID-19 patients in Mexico through May 18, 2020 (released by the Secretaría de Salud de México). Adjusted logistic regression models were applied to assess the associations of comorbidities with pneumonia and death. The marginal effects were estimated, and the probability of pneumonia or death according to the number of comorbidities was graphed for each year of age. Results: Of the 51 053 COVID-19 patients enrolled in the final analysis, 27 667 (54.2%) had no chronic conditions, while 13 652 (26.7%), 6518 (12.8%) and 3216 (6.3%) were reported to have 1, 2, and 3 or more simultaneous conditions, respectively. Overall, a significant incremental gradient was observed for the association between multimorbidity and pneumonia (p<0.001); for 2 chronic conditions, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 2.07 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.95 to 2.20), and for ≥3 conditions, the aOR was 2.40 (95% CI, 2.22 to 2.60). A significant incremental gradient was also found for the relationship between multimorbidity and death (p<0.001); an aOR of 2.51 (95% CI, 2.30 to 2.73) was found for 2 chronic conditions and an aOR of 3.49 (95% CI, 3.15 to 3.86) for ≥3 conditions. Conclusions: Underlying chronic conditions and multimorbidity are associated with pneumonia and death in Mexican COVID-19 patients. Future investigation is necessary to clarify the pathophysiological processes behind this association, given the high burden of chronic diseases in various countries, including Mexico.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.316-329
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the association between dietary quality based on the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI), and the prevalence of chronic conditions among middle-aged individuals (40-60 yrs of age) living alone. MATERIALS/METHODS: The participants were selected (1,517 men and 2,596 women) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2016-2018 and classified into single-person households (SPH) and multi-person households (MPH). Nutrient intake, KHEI, and the prevalence of chronic conditions were compared according to household size. The odds ratios (ORs) of chronic conditions were analyzed according to the tertile levels of KHEI by gender within each household size category. RESULTS: Men in SPH had a significantly lower total KHEI score (P < 0.0001) and a lower prevalence of obesity (OR, 0.576) than those in MPH. For men, the adjusted ORs for obesity, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia in the first tertile (T1) of KHEI scores within SPH compared with the third tertile (T3) were 4.625, 3.790, and 4.333, respectively. Moreover, the adjusted OR for hypertriglyceridemia in the T1 group compared to the T3 group within the MPH was 1.556. For women, the adjusted ORs for obesity and hypertriglyceridemia in T1 compared to T3 within the SPH were 3.223 and 7.134, respectively, and 1.573 and 1.373 for obesity and hypertension, respectively, within MPH. CONCLUSIONS: A healthy eating index was associated with a reduced risk of chronic conditions in middle-aged adults. Greater adherence to a healthy eating index could lower the risk of chronic conditions in middle-aged adults living alone.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.52-68
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• 1995

This is the quasi experimental study to evaluate the effect of individual health education for hypertensive patients at home on knowledge of hypertesnion, attitude about chronic disease, self-care management. The individual health education program was performed at each patient's home every one month through, 1 years. The first data collection was carried out in May 1991. and the last was done in July 1992 through questionaires. The study results were as follows; 1) The subjects were 22 hypertensive patients who agreed the participation of study among registered patients at a public health center in Incheon. They were consisted of thirteen males and nine females. And their duration of illness were average 5 years, their mean age were 65 years. The over all living conditions were poor and the average monthly income was 50 thousdand won. 2) The effect of individual health education through home visit was statistically significant. The Knowledge of hypertension (t= -4.40, p<.001), attitude about chronic disease (t=­2.65, p<.05), self-care management of the subjects were significantly improved. (t=-3.76, p<.001), and their blood pressure were decreased. 3) Between the knowledge of hypertesnion and the attitude about chronic disease showed significant positive relationship. But the self-care management had not relationship with these two factors. unexpectedly. 4) The knowledge of hypertension, attitude about chronic disease, and self-care management had not evenly influenced the control of hypertension. These results suggested that the effort needed to find out the other factors influencing self-care management and develop the self-care management measuring tool. And the health education programs for chronic patients were developed, systematically. And the standardized health education model was developed for home health care nursing intervention in community based.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.42
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• pp.340-371
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• 2000

The paradigm of care for persons with chronic mental illnesses has recently been shifted in Korea from institutionalization to community integration. Numerous changes in the service environment tend to target clients of mental health care organizations while a considerable proportion of people with similar clinical conditions have been institutionalized in various types of organizations whose auspices are other than mental health care. Under the current circumstances in which the subgroup of people, who tend to be socio-economically disadvantaged, has no viable alternative in the community to using such de facto mental health organizations, their chances of deinstitutionalization may decrease. This study thus aims at providing an increased understanding of the characteristics of the users and their service utilization, which in turn enables us to establish differentiated strategies within the current service context. In this study, a survey is conducted on the residential history of those with chronic mental illnesses both in the community and in institutions. Major characteristics of the users of de facto services are investigated along with the extent of their use of various existing mental and non-mental health services. Included is also an examination of the subjects' clinical and individual factors that may influence their use of de facto services. The study findings demonstrate relative disadvantages in deinstitutionalization in a subgroup of the population with chronic mental illnesses under the current mental health policies, and the author suggests intervening strategies specific to this population.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.44-52
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• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the level of health problems and the factors that affect health problems for concrete mixer truck divers. Methods: The questionnaires were administered to 111 drivers in 6 Remicon workplaces located in D city and 7 Remicon workplaces located in K city from September 10 to 28, 2018. A total of 111 questionnaires were collected and 106 were used, excluding 5 incomplete ones. Data were analyzed with frequency, percentage, $x^2$ test, multiple logistic regression analysis by SPSS/WIN 23.0. Results: The factors affecting subjective health were eating habits, sleeping hours and drinking conditions. The factors that affected chronic diseases were age, eating habits, sleep hours, and drinking conditions. The factors influencing musculoskeletal complaints were work experience, eating habits, and sleep hours. Conclusion: The major influencing factors of health problems were eating habits, sleeping hours. This study suggests that it is necessary to run a systematic health care program for the desirable health behaviors in the communities and industrial fields.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

Background: The method of measuring the walking function of patients with chronic stroke differs depending on patients walking capability and environmental conditions. Objects: This study aimed to demonstrate the influences of walking capacity and environmental conditions on the results of short- and long-distance walk tests in patients with chronic stroke. Methods: Forty patients with chronic stroke volunteered for this study, and allocated to group-1 (<.4m/s, household walking, $n_1=13$), group-2 (.4~.8m/s, limited community ambulation, $n_2=16$), and group-3 (>.8m/s, community ambulation, $n_3=11$) according to their walking capacity. The 10-meter walk test (10MWT) and 6-min walk tests, (6MWT) were used to compare the short- and long-distance walk tests results, which were randomly performed under indoor and outdoor environmental conditions. Results: The comparison of the results obtained under the indoor and outdoor conditions revealed statistically significant differences between the groups in the 6MWT and 10MWT (p<.05). Post-hoc tests' results showed significant differences between groups-1 and -2 and between groups-1 and -3 in the 10MWT, and between group-1 and -3 in the 6MWT. Furthermore, in group-2 the 10MWT and 6MWT results significantly differed between the indoor and outdoor conditions, and the values measured under the indoor and outdoor conditions significantly differed between 10MWT and 6MWT (p<.05). Group-3 showed a significant difference in 10MWT results between the indoor and outdoor conditions (p<.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that the results of the short- and long-distance walk tests may differ depending on the walking capacity of patients with chronic stroke and the environmental condition under which the measurement is made, and these effects were greatest for the patients with the limited community ambulation capacity.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.78-83
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• 2023

Nociplastic pain refers to pain arising from altered nociception without evidence of tissue or somatosensory damage. It encompasses various clinical conditions with shared neurophysiological mechanisms involving different organ systems. Nociplastic pain can occur independently or alongside chronic pain conditions with a nociceptive or neuropathic origin. This review introduces the concept of nociplastic pain, its clinical manifestations and the underlying pathophysiology. Taking a biopsychosocial approach can lead to a better understanding of nociplastic pain and improved treatment outcomes for affected individuals.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.3-8
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• 2023

Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) is a sleep-related movement disorder characterized by involuntary, rhythmic limb movements during sleep. While PLMD itself is not considered life-threatening, its association with certain underlying health conditions raises concerns about mortality risks. PLMD has been found to be associated with cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The fragmented sleep caused by the repetitive limb movements and associated arousals may contribute to sympathetic activation, chronic sleep disruption, sleep deprivation, and subsequent cardiovascular problems, which can increase mortality risks. The comorbidities and health factors commonly associated with PLMD, such as obesity, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, may also contribute to increased mortality risks. PLMD is often observed alongside other neurological disorders, including restless legs syndrome (RLS) and Parkinson's disease. The presence of PLMD in these conditions may exacerbate the underlying health issues and potentially contribute to higher mortality rates. Further research is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms linking PLMD to mortality risks and to develop targeted interventions that address these risks.